Kara Rochelle accepts her nomination for the State House race in November.
ANSONIA – Valley Democrats nominated State Rep. Kara Rochelle (D‑Ansonia) for a fourth term representing the Connecticut House’s 104th District during a convention held at the Central Subalpi Club on Parker Street on May 15.
“When we move forward with this campaign, I really want to center this on what public service is and what we’re doing for people. It’s not about me as a person, it’s about what we’re doing for others,” Rochelle said to a crowd of about 30 people.
In her speech accepting the nomination, Rochelle spoke about issues facing residents, including a growing housing crisis and the difficulty of applying for state benefits.
“I think about these folks every day,” Rochelle said. “These are the cases that I handle in my community and in our community, and a lot of the things that people bring to me, I don’t just solve their problem, I think about what’s creating the issue and how we can fix it.”
She also pointed to recent legislative achievements, including a batch of ARPA funding for Ansonia and a statewide expansion of paid medical leave.
The state House of Representatives’ 104th District includes Ansonia and part of Derby.
Linda Fusco, Derby Mayor Joseph DiMartino’s chief of staff, praised Rochelle. She said she had been impressed by Rochelle’s “commitment and tenacity” when they met, before Rochelle ran for public office.
“She does the work of at least 20 women, and that’s, to me, very impressive,” Fusco said. “As a woman, Kara is very in tune with the needs of families in our community, from nutrition, to education, cost-of-living issues, and senior care. She legislates like the daughter, the aunt, the sister, and the neighbor you want to have on your side.”
William Phipps, a former Ansonia Alderman, listed some of Rochelle’s legislative achievements and praised her work for firefighters and seniors in the district.
Former Ansonia Alderman William Phipps speaks in support of nominee Rochelle.
“Kara is a leader who delivers, and she is a leader we need, now more than ever,” Phipps said. “She knows what the people of Ansonia and Derby need because she is here with us, paying attention, and has the dedication and credibility to get results.”
Other Democrats who spoke at the nomination ceremony included Dave Hannon, chairman of the Ansonia Democratic Town Committee, and Mayor DiMartino.
Rochelle is being challenged by Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti, a Republican. He is expected to be nominated by Valley Republicans at 6 p.m. May 16, at the Ansonia Armory.
Cassetti, asked for his reaction to Rochelle’s nomination, wrote the following in a message to the Valley Indy.
“While Ms. Rochelle is busy putting her name on projects and grants she has little or nothing to do with, she’s totally missing the big priorities; real support for law enforcement, fair and consistent funding for education and finally some cost relief for our most vulnerable residents such as our seniors,” Cassetti wrote.
Without mentioning Cassetti by name, Rochelle criticized the budgeting and spending practices of city officials during her speech.
“We’ve had some folks in recent years that have been pretty reckless with town funds,” Rochelle said, before applauding Mayor DiMartino for presenting what she called an “honest budget.”
Rochelle was first elected to the 104th in 2018, winning the open seat after seven-term Democrat Linda Gentile retired. She took home 57 percent of the vote in that election to beat Republican opponent and Ansonia Alderman Joseph Jaumann.
She retained the seat in 2020 with 59 percent of the vote, leading challenger Myra Rivers by nearly 2,000 votes.
In 2022, she won her narrowest victory yet, beating out Josh Shuart, current president of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen, by about 300 votes. She took home 53 percent of the vote in that race.
Rochelle filed to run for re-election in January, naming Jason Jones of Shelton as her campaign treasurer. Jones also managed her past campaigns.
Election Day is Nov. 5.
