Danté Bartolomeo Explained

Danté Bartolomeo
Office:Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor
Term Start:1 July 2021
Predecessor:Kurt Westby
State Senate1:Connecticut
District1:13th
Term Start1:5 January 2013
Term End1:3 January 2017
Predecessor1:Len Suzio
Successor1:Len Suzio
Office2:Member of the Meriden City Council
Term Start2:July 2008
Term End2:December 2012
Predecessor2:Michael Rohde
Constituency2:Area 2
Successor2:Larue A. Graham
Party:Democratic
Birth Name:Danté Jean Craig Self
Birth Place:Meriden, Connecticut, U.S.
Spouse:Doug
Children:2
Alma Mater:Colby College (BA)

Danté Jean Craig Bartolomeo (born 1969) is an American politician. Bartolomeo, a Democrat, began her political career as a member of the Meriden City Council from 2008 to 2012. She then held the Connecticut Senate seat for the 13th district from 2013 to 2017. In January 2019, she was appointed deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor. Bartolomeo's promotion to commissioner took effect in July 2021, and she was formally confirmed to the position in February 2022.

Early life and education

Bartolomeo's father Craig Self was a Republican who served as town chairman of Wallingford, Connecticut. Bartolomeo attributed her political positioning as a fiscal moderate to his influence, and her mother, Barbara Calza Self, for her views on social liberalism.[1] [2] Bartolomeo has a sister, Elizabeth Mercedes Craig Self.[1] Bartolomeo is a 1987 graduate of Mercy High School in Middletown and earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Colby College in 1991 with a cum laude distinction.[3] She and her husband Doug Bartolomeo, a retired police officer, have two children.[3]

Political career

Bartolomeo was a member of the Meriden City Council from July 2008 to December 2012.[3] She succeeded Michael Rohde as representative of Area 2, after Rohde had been elected mayor.[4] During her first state legislative campaign against incumbent state representative Len Suzio in 2012, Bartolomeo claimed that his supporters were using push polls to gain an advantage.[5] Suzio's win in a 2011 special election was considered a "fluke", due in part to the fact that Suzio's predecessor Thomas Gaffey had violated electoral law.[6] Bartolomeo defeated Suzio, and took office as a Democratic legislator representing the thirteenth district of the Connecticut Senate.[7] She faced Suzio for a second time in 2014, and won reelection.[8] Bartolomeo's 2016 campaign was unsuccessful,[3] [9] and Suzio, backed by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association,[10] [11] returned to office. In January 2019, Ned Lamont appointed Bartolomeo deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor.[4] After Kurt Westby announced his intention to retire, Lamont promoted Bartolomeo in June 2021.[12] The Connecticut Senate confirmed Bartolomeo to the position in February 2022.[13]

Notes and References

  1. News: Craig Self, Wallingford farmer, GOP chairman, remembered as devoted friend, family man . . Meriden, Connecticut . 14 September 2017 . 2 May 2022.
  2. News: R. Craig Self Jr. . 2 May 2022 . Record Journal . 12 September 2017. Republished by The New Haven Register
  3. News: Republican Len Suzio hopes to unseat Sen. Danté Bartolomeo in 13th District . 2 May 2022 . Middletown Press . 13 October 2016.
  4. News: Godin . Mary Ellen . Former Meriden state senator, Wallingford native named to deputy labor post . 2 May 2022 . Record-Journal . 28 January 2019.
  5. News: Salemi . Jim . Bartolomeo levels charges at Suzio; he denies . 2 May 2022 . New Haven Register . 23 October 2012.
  6. News: Fenster . Jordan . Connecticut Republicans set sights on key districts in state Senate race . 2 May 2022 . Connecticut Insider . 15 October 2012.
  7. News: DeMattteo . Ann . Bartolomeo reflects on 13th Senatorial District win . 2 May 2022 . Middletown Press . 6 November 2012.
  8. News: Bartolomeo fends off Suzio in 13th by good margin . 2 May 2022 . Middletown Press . 5 November 2014.
  9. News: Len Suzio reclaims 13th Senate District seat from Dante Bartolomeo . 2 May 2022 . Middletown Press . 8 November 2016.
  10. News: Pazniokas . Mark . CBIA targets swing districts, tries to tilt CT Senate to GOP . 2 May 2022 . Connecticut Mirror . 3 August 2016.
  11. News: Constable . Kyle . Control of the CT Senate at stake in battleground districts . 2 May 2022 . Connecticut Mirror . 15 August 2016.
  12. News: Pazniokas . Mark . Danté Bartolomeo to succeed Kurt Westby at CT Department of Labor . 2 May 2022 . Connecticut Mirror . 17 June 2021. Republished as: News: Pazniokas . Mark . Danté Bartolomeo of Meriden tapped for state labor commissioner . 2 May 2022 . Record-Journal . 17 June 2021.
  13. News: Senate resolution 5: resolution confirming the nomination of Danté J. C. Bartolomeo of Meriden to be labor commissioner . 2 May 2022 . Connecticut Senate . February 2022.