Nancy DiNardo, one of the longest serving Chairs of the Connecticut Democratic Party, announced today she will not seek re-election when her term ends in January, and Governor Ned Lamont has endorsed the candidacy of Roberto Alves, Mayor of Danbury, to serve as party chair.

“It has been an honor to lead the Connecticut Democrats and I thank Governor Lamont for giving me the opportunity to serve again,” said Nancy DiNardo, who was first elected state party chair in 2005, served 10 years in the post, before returning again in 2020. “I have met and worked with extraordinary Democrats across the state, and I hope to continue to do so in the coming years. Roberto Alves will make a great Chairman, and I wish him the very best.” 

“Nancy DiNardo has always looked out for the working middle class, which is why she is the most successful chair of any political party in Connecticut history, leading Connecticut Democrats to victories year after year, including every state constitutional office and every U.S. Congressional office. Her steadfast leadership has strengthened our party and has set a solid foundation for forthcoming elections. I am grateful that she is not going far and she will continue to provide Connecticut Democrats with guidance in the years to come,” Governor Lamont said. 

The governor continued, “I am excited that Mayor Alves will be taking on the important task of chairing our party because he is the exact type of leader we need at this moment. As the mayor of a major city, he speaks with the residents of our state on a daily basis and is intimately familiar with their concerns and needs – working to keep our focus on making Connecticut more affordable. Mayor Alves will be a great resource for our party in the coming years.

“Roberto Alves exemplifies the very best of our state’s values, immigrating to Connecticut as a child, graduating from Danbury High School, and going on to work as a Technical Sales Engineer at Cartus. His love of giving back to his community is demonstrated through his numerous volunteer roles, his time on the city council, and his leadership as mayor,” said Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz. “Last year, Roberto led a team of Democrats that defeated the incumbent Republican mayor and successfully flipped other offices in town. I know Roberto will take his winning strategy to our state party and deploy energy, enthusiasm, and new ideas in future elections. The Governor and I thank Nancy DiNardo for her decades of dedicated and distinguished service to our party whether as a town chair, national convention representative, or of course, as our state party chair. Nancy has generously volunteered her time and talents to make our state bright blue at the state and federal level. We wish her well and look forward to continuing to work with her and learn from her wise counsel and advice.”

Roberto Alves, who is the Mayor of Danbury said, “I’m grateful to Governor Lamont for his continued leadership and trust as we look toward the future of the Connecticut Democratic Party, and I also want to thank Nancy DiNardo for her years of dedicated service. Now, we need to focus on what’s next: building a Democratic Party that’s ready to face the challenges of tomorrow, mobilizing voters, activists, and grassroots support in every corner of our state, and working together to get things done for the people of Connecticut.” 

Alves, who was elected Mayor in 2023, previously served as Democratic Town Chair of Danbury and Treasurer of the Connecticut Democratic Party.

DiNardo’s term as Chair will end in January, when the Democratic State Central Committee will elect a new Chairman.