The Big Wave’s Buyer’s Remorse

UPDATE

: When Chris Caruso dragged himself out of bed Wednesday morning the buyer’s remorse was nauseating. The Big Wave had served in the Connecticut Legislature for 20 years, fought the establishment, took on development profiteers, pushed for Connecticut’s historic campaign finance reform, came within a whisker of becoming mayor in 2003 and again in 2007. He loved the light of serving as a big pain in the ass. He looked ahead to another run for the mayoralty, but this time he had an alternative, and a deadline.

Grateful for Caruso’s support in the Democratic primary, Dannel Malloy offered him a state economic development job that paid more than twice what Caruso had ever earned before. Caruso’s not driven by money. No fancy car, no fancy housing, no fancy suit. Yes, he’s a big man with a vice for food. Place a plate of spaghetti and braciole in front of him and it’s heaven.

On Tuesday Caruso had a decision to make. State law prohibits legislators from accepting an executive branch job while in session, a law Caruso had voted for to avoid the lawmaking body from thinning out during session. Reject the job and he cannot maximize his state pension. Financial security would be nice now that he’s 51. He had many supporters urging him to run for mayor again. A broadening message, beyond corruption, in 2007 would have handed him the mayoralty. Finch didn’t win that race, Caruso lost it. He went back and forth. What if he runs again and loses? As the deadline approached he accepted the state job.

The next morning Caruso crawled out of bed with a hangover, and he doesn’t even drink. No longer was he a state legislator, no longer was he a mayoral candidate. Caruso, as a baby in city politics won election to the City Council, served for a term as Democratic town chair when he was 26. Twenty years in the State Legislature. Now he was a civilian. He thought about changing his mind.

In politics everyone wants to be relevant. If you’re not relevant, what’s the point? Then he decided he’s still relevant. He’s got a nice state job, a base of support in Bridgeport where he could do a lot of good helping his home town, influence his replacement in the legislature (special election Feb. 22, according to Secretary of the State’s Office) and perhaps endorse a candidate for mayor. (Caruso and Finch have never been buds.) John Gomes, former Finch administration official, is an active candidate. Charlie Coviello, a multi-mayoral candidate, has formed an exploratory committee. For now Caruso potentially sees Mary-Jane Foster filling his void as a serious mayoral candidate, if she gets in. But if no one steps up as a serious challenger to Finch, in his view, could he revisit a mayoral run this year, even though he announced the other day he’s not a candidate? Maybe work the state job for five months and take a leave of absence to run one more time?

As Caruso was cleaning out his legislative office on Thursday he had pondered the question. In politics, ya just never know. It’s a symptom of buyer’s remorse that comes and goes.