The President of Ansonia’s Board of Aldermen is seeking higher office.
Philip Tripp, a Republican who was elected to his second term as an Alderman last November, filed paperwork with state election officials Jan. 18 announcing his intention to challenge Democratic State Sen. Joseph Crisco in November.
Now in his 11th term, Crisco has represented the 17th District in the state senate — covering Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck, and Woodbridge — since 1992.
Crisco, a Woodbridge resident, most recently defeated Derby’s Anthony Szewczyk in 2012, rolling to re-election by more than 15,000 votes and winning each one of the district’s seven municipalities.
The total tally in that race was 26,994 votes for Crisco, 10,944 for Szewczyk, according to results posted on the Secretary of the State’s website.
Of the seven towns that make up the district, Crisco’s biggest margin of victory was in Hamden, which he won by 6,816 votes.
Tripp has lived in Ansonia for the past 10 years but was born and raised in Hamden — and will need to cut into Crisco’s popularity there to have a shot at winning.
Tripp said Thursday he decided to challenge Crisco after being “encouraged by several people in the (Republican) party.”
“Considering my background, they felt that I would be a very good candidate for this office,” Tripp said. “I have a history of service to the nation, state of Connecticut and the people of the city of Ansonia. I have a desire to serve the people of the city of Ansonia and the region of the state of Connecticut that has raised me and made me the person I am.”
Crisco filed paperwork to run for re-election last month.
Click here to read a statement from Crisco on his party’s jobs and business agenda.
Tripp, who turns 56 this week, launched a Facebook page for his candidacy Feb. 8 that emphasizes his lengthy military service — he ran for Alderman in 2011 after retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel from a 34-year career in the Army National Guard.
During his time in the military he earned a Combat Action Badge, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, and campaign medals for serving in Afghanistan and Iraq and the global war on terror, among other decorations.
“Phil’s extensive military career has seen him in leadership positions from Infantry Company Commander to numerous staff positions up to and including General Officer staff in Kabul, Afghanistan,” his bio reads. “Phil’s position as President of the Board of Alderman for the City of Ansonia is a natural progression of his team building skills and leadership ability based on his military service.”
Beyond that, it’s clear Tripp takes his public service seriously. On nights when Aldermen aren’t even meeting he can often be found at meetings of other boards and commissions, relaying concerns he’s heard from constituents.
Tripp said if he wins a state senate seat he’ll resign as an Alderman. Though it would be legal for him to hold both offices, he said he doesn’t think it would be appropriate, but said there are several other Aldermen capable of filling his role as president.
He said he has “a lot of support cutting across the political spectrum and cutting across socioeconomic lines.”
Tripp has a bachelor of science in management from the University of New Haven and an MBA from Southern Connecticut State University.
He works at Home Depot in North Haven. He and his wife, Roberta, have what Tripp calls a “Brady Bunch family” of five children.
He said his top two issues in the upcoming campaign will be the economy and new Common Core standards for schools.
“Something is drastically wrong in the state of Connecticut, and as far as I’m concerned it’s not the people of the state of Connecticut, it’s the public and economic policy coming out of Hartford,” Tripp said.
