Len Suzio
Len Suzio (Republican Party) was a member of the Connecticut State Senate, representing District 13. He assumed office in 2017. He left office on January 9, 2019.
Suzio (Republican Party, Independent Party) ran for election to the Connecticut State Senate to represent District 13. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Biography
Suzio earned his B.S. in economics and finance from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. His professional experience includes working as a founder/president of GeoDataVision, a bank consultant company focusing on federal banking regulations, director, executive VP and senior loan officer for American National Bank in Hamden, CT, and serving on the Meriden Board of Education from 1995-2005 and as VP of the Board of Directors for High Hopes,a home for children with special needs.
Committee assignments
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Connecticut committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Children, Co-chair |
| • Finance, Revenue and Bonding |
| • Judiciary |
| • Transportation, Vice chair |
| • Veterans' Affairs |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Suzio served on these committees:
- Appropriations Committee, Connecticut General Assembly
- Select Committee on Children, Connecticut General Assembly, Ranking Member
- Education Committee, Connecticut General Assembly
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2020
See also: Connecticut State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Connecticut State Senate District 13
Incumbent Mary Daugherty Abrams defeated Len Suzio in the general election for Connecticut State Senate District 13 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mary Daugherty Abrams (D / Working Families Party) | 52.8 | 24,933 |
 | Len Suzio (R / Independent Party) | 47.2 | 22,331 | |
| Total votes: 47,264 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Mary Daugherty Abrams advanced from the Democratic primary for Connecticut State Senate District 13.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Len Suzio advanced from the Republican primary for Connecticut State Senate District 13.
2018
- See also: Connecticut State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Connecticut State Senate District 13
Mary Daugherty Abrams defeated incumbent Len Suzio in the general election for Connecticut State Senate District 13 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mary Daugherty Abrams (D) | 52.4 | 19,502 |
| Len Suzio (R) | 47.6 | 17,708 | |
| Total votes: 37,210 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Connecticut State Senate District 13
Mary Daugherty Abrams defeated Alex Tiktinsky in the Democratic primary for Connecticut State Senate District 13 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mary Daugherty Abrams | 73.2 | 4,296 |
 | Alex Tiktinsky | 26.8 | 1,572 | |
| Total votes: 5,868 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Connecticut State Senate District 13
Incumbent Len Suzio advanced from the Republican primary for Connecticut State Senate District 13 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Len Suzio |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
- See also: Connecticut State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Connecticut State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 9, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2016.
Len Suzio defeated incumbent Dante Bartolomeo in the Connecticut State Senate District 13 general election.[1]
| Connecticut State Senate, District 13 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Len Suzio |
51.05% | 21,761 | |
| Democratic | Dante Bartolomeo Incumbent | 48.95% | 20,866 | |
| Total Votes | 42,627 | |||
| Source: Connecticut Secretary of the State | ||||
Incumbent Dante Bartolomeo ran unopposed in the Connecticut State Senate District 13 Democratic primary.
| Connecticut State Senate, District 13 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Dante Bartolomeo Incumbent (unopposed) | |
Len Suzio ran unopposed in the Connecticut State Senate District 13 Republican primary.
| Connecticut State Senate, District 13 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Len Suzio (unopposed) | |
This candidate ran in one of Ballotpedia's races to watch in 2016. Read more »
2014
- See also: Connecticut State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Connecticut State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 12, 2014, and a general election on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 10, 2014. Incumbent Dante Bartolomeo was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Len Suzio was unopposed in the Republican primary. Bartolomeo defeated Suzio in the general election.[2][3]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dante Bartolomeo Incumbent |
46.6% | 13,918 | |
| Republican | Len Suzio | 45.6% | 13,613 | |
| Independent | Len Suzio | 4% | 1,193 | |
| Working Families | Dante Bartolomeo Incumbent | 3.8% | 1,122 | |
| Total Votes | 29,846 | |||
2012
- See also: Connecticut State Senate elections, 2012
Suzio ran in the 2012 election for Connecticut State Senate District 13. Suzio ran unopposed in the Republican primary on August 14, 2012. He was defeated by Dante Bartolomeo (D) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[4][5][6]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dante Bartolomeo |
50.4% | 19,934 | |
| Republican | Len Suzio Incumbent | 49.6% | 19,655 | |
| Total Votes | 39,589 | |||
2011
Suzio defeated Thomas Bruenn (R) in the February 22, 2011 special election.[7]
2010
- See also: Connecticut State Senate elections, 2010
Suzio was uncontested in the August 10 primary. He was defeated by incumbent Democrat Thomas Gaffey in the November 2 general election.
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Len Suzio did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Len Suzio participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on September 2, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Len Suzio's responses follow below.[8]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | Balance the budget without raising taxes
End the early release of violent criminals as currently allowed under the Risk Reduction Earned Credit Program Pass the "Citizens in Need Fund" and the related tax deduction for Connecticut taxpayers Help restore economic growth and a better jobs climate by making Connecticut more "business friendly"[9][10] |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | End Connecticut's notorious and failed "Early Release" program for violent criminals. An innocent and elderly store owner was murdered by Frankie "The Razor" Resto who had been released early from prison. I came to know the Ghazal family (Ibrahim Ghazal was murdered) and I promised them I would not rest until the program was terminated for violent offenders.
Strengthen Connecticut's laws regarding trafficking in children. I was shocked to learn that this is a growing problem in Connecticut and our laws are not as strong as the federal laws. The safety of our children should be one of our highest priorities Balance the budget without a tax increase. Connecticut already is one of the highest taxed states. A steady exodus of taxpayers has been growing. Another tax increase will only exacerbate the problem. I have a BS in Finance from the Wharton School and a strong background in finance. I understand the budget better than most legislators.Cite error: Invalid |
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Len Suzio answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
| “ | Although I am a Republican I must say that I admired Democrat Hubert Humphrey who was known as the "Happy Warrior" as I recall. I enjoy a good vigorous debate, but it should be done with enthusiasm for the ideas I espouse and respect for my opponent. There is too much acrimony in politics today. It is the ideal time for a "happy warrior" IMO[10] | ” |
| “ | Honesty
Determination to do the right thing no matter the political cost Listening to the constituents you represent (and giving them the opportunity to express themselves) Commitment to knowing and understanding issues before voting on them - and to educating my constituencies about important political issues Following through on constituent service Willingness to work in bipartisan fashion to get good legislation passed[10] |
” |
| “ | Great Education and business experience
A determination to get things done (a good example is when I succeeded in getting the legislature to cap the Petroleum Gross Receipts Tax" - It took 9 months, dozens of rallies, and thousands of signatures on a petition, but we succeeded in capping the tax) Strong intellectual curiosity that compels me to thoroughly study public issues before taking a stand on them[10] |
” |
| “ | The assassination of JFK. I was 15 at the time.[10] | ” |
| “ | Restoring economic health, a better jobs climate and balancing the budget without another tax increase are essential to Connecticut during the next few years.[10] | ” |
| “ | See answer to a previous question[10] | ” |
2011
Suzio's 2011 special election campaign site featured the Republican Party's Common Sense Commitment to Connecticut. Its key points were as follows:
- Spend no more than you make: "Reduce spending to what we can reasonably anticipate in revenue without assessing new taxes. Abide by the constitutional spending cap."
- Borrow only what you can afford to pay back: "Cap bonding levels which result in a debt service of no more that 10% of the annual budget. Borrowing should be restricted for public works projects, including school construction, roads and rails, serving the greater public good and creating jobs for Connecticut workers. Eliminate earmarks – Fund all projects by competitive grant to be awarded based upon measured return on investment i.e., job creation/economic development."
- If it's not broken, don't fix it. But if it's not working, get rid of it: "All State government programs must be result-based, with a 2-year period of review. If it is not achieving stated results, the program is eliminated. If achieving results, it will continue for 2 more years."
- The more government tries to do, the less it does well: "Focus on core government functions:Public safety, education, transportation, public health. Strive for excellence in each government function. Privatize non-core functions."
- We should all have the government we need, but only the go: "Consolidate government services to eliminate duplication, excess, and waste."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Connecticut scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2018
In 2018, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from February 7 to May 9.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor policy.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2017, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 4 through June 7. The legislature held a veto session on July 24. The legislature held its first special session on July 31. The legislature held its second special session from September 14 to September 16. The legislature held another special session on October 3. State lawmakers held their fourth special session from October 25 to October 26. The legislature met again in special session from November 14 to November 15.
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Suzio and his wife, Kathryn, have five children.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign website
- Len Suzio on Facebook
- Len Suzio on Twitter
- Len Suzio on YouTube
- Campaign contributions: 2010
Footnotes
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of the State, "Election Night Reporting, 2016 General Election," accessed December 14, 2016
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Official primary and general election results," accessed November 26, 2014
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Candidate List," accessed June 18, 2012
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Official Primary Results for 2012," August 14, 2012
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Election Results 2012" accessed November 17, 2012
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Official Special Election Results," accessed October 8, 2014
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Len Suzio's responses," September 2, 2018
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Gaffey (D) |
Connecticut State Senate - District 13 2011–2013 |
Succeeded by Dante Bartolomeo (D) |
