City politics is such a whiplash business it can make spinal surgery seem like a minor adjustment.
The other day Democratic state legislative leadership sojourned to Boca Oyster Bar for a fundraiser, joined by Bridgeport’s legislation delegation, the largest in Connecticut, eyeing the 2026 election cycle, a midterm on a national level.
Lo and behold, some of the best things in political life occur organically. Yes, someone figured out, we have four generations of pols representing Connecticut’s 128th Assembly District, covering 40 years.
Most OIB readers recognize Mario Testa as Democratic Town Chair for the better part of 30 years but prior to that he represented the 128th District for two terms when it was a much different demographic than today, then a hybrid Italian/Portuguese/Hispanic area, now predominately Hispanic.
Long story short, in 1985 Testa’s cousin Tom Bucci wins the mayoralty, defeating Republican Len Paoletta in the general election. Mario was not a minor player then. He held a key seat on something called the Board of Apportionment and Taxation empowered with budget control over the mayor’s fiscal plan prior to it becoming the domain of the City Council.
Mario had been appointed by Democratic Mayor John Mandanici who lost to Paoletta in the 1981 general election. For the next four years Mario tortured Lenny on every turn of the budget. Yes, Mario is a short man from Italy who gained citizenship and served his new country at war, but he was tall when it came to financial numbers.
Mario won the 128th State House District race in 1984.
Oh, my, as a young reporter to cover this stuff. Then, I did a segue. Why not join a political campaign at 26 years old. Bucci asked, I joined. I had no clue about serving as a communications director for a political campaign, but the way it worked then journalists were first in line. Not anymore. They are schooled way different, many straight out of college, and much sharper on rejoinders.
Bucci tapped 25-year-old City Councilman, upcomer Chris Caruso, a disciple of North End District Leader Richard Pinto, as his campaign director.
Bucci ally Joe Grabarz, a super-gifted policy wonk and I were a tandem. He recited yarns of policy off the top of his head and I’m just the dummy ex journalist taking notes, writing the press releases but we often ended up on the front page. I had contacts in the newsroom.
Bucci wins the 1985 mayoralty, the next year Mario is reelected to another two-year term.
Now, here’s where it gets complicated. Bucci installs Grabarz as his chief of staff. A political disagreement erupts between the two.
Caruso had been promised the City Council presidency. Round and round it went, Bucci came up short delivering the votes for Caruso. In the end, City Councilman Ed Gomes threw his votes to Lisa Parziale who became council president.
Caruso and Pinto were pissed.
The new mayor was in a pickle. Two pols key to his election would be off the ranch for good unless he delivered something. Bucci then promised to line up the votes for Caruso for Democratic Party chairman over veteran incumbent pol John Guman.
Caruso felt ambushed that Bucci could not deliver the council presidency. Then Guman felt ambushed the mayor threw his support to Caruso. This was a political minefield, and there was no dancing around it.
A whole bunch of town committee members ended up on the city payroll to deliver the votes to Caruso. Grabarz, already on the public payroll, was politically aligned with Guman and maintained his loyalty to him.
Caruso felt all of this would have been avoided had Bucci delivered the council presidency. His relationship with Bucci would never be the same. Pinto would lose his life tragically, struck by a car in Fairfield. The shape of North End politics would change.
Meanwhile, the political riff grew deep between Bucci and Grabarz. Joe enjoys a mischievous political side to him. In 1988, Grabarz challenged Mario, the mayor’s cousin, in a Democratic primary. Bada Bing!
Joe’s campaign literature, in a little dig at Mario, was resplendent in the colors of the Italian flag – green, white and red.
When the dust settled, Grabarz won by a few dozen votes. Mario challenged Grabarz two years later with the same outcome for Grabarz.
Joe served two terms and then decided against reelection.
In the future the redistricting of the district and changing demographics would transform the 128th into a Hispanic powerhouse. The map covers the heart of the East Side and goes west into the central part of the city and even into part of the West End.
Edna Garcia held the seat for four terms. Others who occupied the seat include Lydia Martinez, Andres Ayala, Christina Ayala and the current Christopher Rosario.
