Buscetto and Pero are party picks

July 20, 2011 12:00 am • Last Updated: July 20, 2011 4:05 pm

By By KATHLEEN EDGECOMB Day Staff Writer

Michael Buscetto III is congratulated by Barry Neistat, left, Mark Christiansen, and Neistat's wife, Susan Devlin-Neistat, after he was nominated for mayor by the New London Democratic Town Committee Tuesday at the New London Senior Center.

New London - Two-term City Councilor Michael Buscetto III was endorsed by the Democratic Town Committee to run for mayor Tuesday night, but a fellow Democrat immediately said he would seek a primary in the city's first elected mayoral race in decades.

Buscetto received 52 votes from town committee members during a meeting at the Senior Center, easily defeating fellow City Councilor Michael Passero, who received 17 votes, and newcomer Daryl Finizio, who received six votes.

At the same time Tuesday night at the Senior Center, in a smaller room next door, Republicans endorsed City Councilor Rob Pero, as their candidate for mayor.

"This race is about the residents of the city and about the future of New London,'' said Pero, who has served on the council for 15 years and ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

He is promising no increases in tax for the first two years of a four-year term as mayor, as well as reductions in spending and increasing public safety.

"New London will have choices, and that's good,'' he said. "It's good for the candidates and its good for the citizens."

After the results of the Democratic Town Committee's secret ballot were announced, Buscetto said he was humbled and encouraged by the support of his fellow Democrats.

After the results were announced, Passero and Finizio immediately shook hands with Buscetto.

"You can never (guess) how people will vote in a closed ballot,'' Buscetto said after the meeting. "But 99 percent of those who told me they supported me came through."

Nearly all of the Democratic Town Committee members, 76 out of about 80, showed up for the vote or allowed their vote to be cast by proxy.

"My slogan is one city, one New London,'' said Buscetto. "No matter how you voted tonight, I want you to be on my team."

Finizio, a lawyer who moved to New London nearly two years ago, said he did not expect to be supported by the city's Democratic establishment.

"As a candidate who represents change in New London, tonight's results are not surprising,'' he said, adding it's the people of New London who will elect the next mayor, not the town committee.

He said the town committee recommended against changing the City Charter to allow the elected mayor form of government, but residents voted 3-1 in favor of it.

Finizio will start gathering the roughly 278 signatures needed for a primary, which will be held Sept. 13. He said he was unsure whether he would run as an independent if he loses the primary.

Buscetto said he welcomes Finizio's challenge.

"He has every right to do it,'' Buscetto said.

Mayor Martin Olsen and Lori Hopkins-Cavanagh are also on the ballot as petitioning candidates.

Passero, a city firefighter who is serving his first term on the City Council, was chosen to run for a second term on the council after he lost the bid for mayor.

The Democratic slate for City Council also includes incumbent Wade Hyslop, who is seeking a third term, and two city police officers, Anthony Nolan and George Potts.

k.edgecomb@theday.com

Rob Pero says a few words after becoming the nominee for mayor during the Republican Town Committee meeting at the New London Senior Center Tuesday.