Photo by Jason Edwards
Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti holds up a broom to symbolize the Republican 'sweep' as corporation counsel John Marini cheers.
ANSONIA – Mayor David Cassetti was elected to a sixth term of office on Tuesday in a lopsided victory for the “Team Cassetti” Republican slate.
Cassetti defeated Democratic challenger Tom Egan 2,676 votes to 741, according to the head moderator’s report from Ansonia City Hall. Petitioning candidate Harry Danley, Jr received 306 votes.
In addition to acknowledging the support of his family and friends, Cassetti praised his supporters, but he also pointed out that this year’s campaign had become contentious, highlighting those who, he said, resorted to using Facebook to criticize the mayor and his family.
“There’s so much to do in Ansonia,” Cassetti said. “With the redevelopment of Ansonia Copper and Brass, it’s the next move. There are many things we have on the agenda for the next two years. I know we’re going to have to put up with slack, but I want to thank my family for standing by me. I feel for them, and so do the residents of Ansonia, and they just proved it by electing us tonight.”
Supporters and candidates gathered at 301 Main St. for election results to roll in.
Corporation Counsel and former Alderman John Marini said this year’s election was once again a vote of confidence for the Cassetti administration’s work in Ansonia.
“I think it’s important to realize that this team isn’t just reliant on Republicans — it’s Democrats, it’s unaffiliated, just trying to pull together and move this city forward. We have residents of every political affiliation,” Marini said.
Aldermanic President Josh Shuart said Team Cassetti has a clear direction.
“It’s a long day, but we put a lot of work in every day,” Shuart said. “We’re proud of what we’ve done, we’ve taken the high road. There’s a lot of dirty stuff that was said, but we try to look past that.”
Cassetti was elected to his first, two-year term in 2013. Prior to his election, there had not been a Republican in the mayor’s office since 1997, according to The Connecticut Post.
With Cassetti as leader, and with help from key staffers such as grant writer/economic development director Sheila O’Malley and Marini, local Republicans have dominated the Ansonia political scene, having full control of the mayor’s office and the Ansonia Board of Aldermen.
Main Street has been reborn under Cassetti’s watch, with apartments being built in long-vacant industrial space. There’s a new police station and a new senior center. A private sports complex is supposed to be built on Olson Drive.
The Cassetti administration has also been successful in getting state and federal grants to demolish and, hopefully, repurpose eyesores such as the former American Copper & Brass downtown.
In 2020, “Team Cassetti” even lured away Kurt Miller from his elected post as Seymour’s First Selectman to become Ansonia’s chief financial officer.
Democratic Reaction
During his campaign, Egan, a political newcomer and relatively new resident of Ansonia, had criticized the administration for not following the Ansonia City Charter as it applies to selling public land and creating an annual budget.
The Democrats also questioned Ansonia’s financial condition, a mainstay of Democratic mayoral campaigns since Cassetti’s first re-election bid in 2015.
About 30 people gathered at Chifrijo restaurant off Main Street to watch the Ansonia Democrats’ numbers come in. They realized the loss was inevitable early on, but listened to upbeat Latin music and maintained a sense of humor.
“The Empire Strikes Back,” said Jaylen Daniels, an unsuccessful candidate for Alderman in the Second Ward.
None of the Democratic candidates spoke of loss or defeat. Rather, they talked about hope for the future.
In brief remarks, Egan never officially conceded, nor did he mention the Republicans. He continued to talk like a candidate running for mayor.
“We need to hit hard. We need to go ahead and build up honesty, decency in City Hall and amongst the population. And we need to hold the people elected accountable. Let’s be honest for one second. Olson Drive hasn’t been developed yet. It kinda makes you wonder. Maybe they know something’s up. Look at Elm Street right there with Fred Lalaj. Is he going to actually develop that place, because he knows there’s problems with the title. It makes you wonder what’s going to go on,” Egan said.
Egan did not rule out a future run for mayor.
“No one knew my name a year ago. We made a meteoric rise. I don’t know what the future holds for me but I would run again. I had a blast,” he said.
Even before the numbers were official, new Democratic Town Committee Chairman Dave Hannon acknowledged it was a tough campaign for Democrats. He hinted to inner-party troubles, which also hurt the Ansonia Democrats during the municipal campaign two years ago.
“We went a month or two with meetings cancelled. There was a lot of dysfunction in our Town Committee and that has to be resolved before we can move forward,” he said.
Bold denotes winner.
MAYOR
Tom Egan {D}: 741
David Cassetti {R}: 2,676
Harry Danley Jr. {Petitioning candidate}: 306
Alderman
(Two get elected per ward)
First Ward
Alisha Freelove {D}: 157
Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg {D}: 153
Daniel King {R}: 312
Gary Farrar Jr. {R}: 306
Second Ward
William G. Phipps {D}: 145
Jaylen Daniels {D}: 154
Steven Adamowski {R}: 231
Bobbi Tar {R}: 206
Harry Danley Jr {Petitioning candidate}: 33
Third Ward
Patricio Silva {D}: 134
Thomas Finnucan, Sr. {D}: 163
Joseph Cassetti {R}: 295
Joseph Jeanette {R}: 289
Fourth Ward
Rohan Brown {D}: 80
No second nominee {D}
Nathaniel Hardy {R}: 123
Robert Knott {R}: 131
Fifth Ward
Rosemarie Higgins {D}: 180
Stevie Bobbit {D}: 163
Joseph Jaumann {R}: 301
Chicago Rivers {R}: 301
Sixth Ward
Richard Tylinski {D}: 256
Daniel Stahl {D}: 246
Josh Shuart {R}: 496
Tony Mammone {R}: 450
Seventh Ward
Steven Erlingheuser {D}: 304
Anthony Levinsky {R}: 561
Mario Durante {R}: 583
TOWN/CITY CLERK
Beth Lynch: 3,594
(nominated by both parties)
TOWN/CITY TREASURER
Judy Larkin Nicolari: 3,516
(nominated by both parties)
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Christopher Phipps {D}: 1,392
Stephanie Ocasio-Gonzalez {D}: 1,214
Richard Bshara {R}: 2,282
Sharon Voroschak-Papcin {R}: 2,114
(note: BOE winners updated 11:20 a.m. Wednesday)
