Michael Cacace, right, then-campaign chairman for Democrat Richard Blumenthal, goes through final preparations with the then-attorney general before a 2010 U.S. Senate debate in New London.
It’s the political equivalent to elite frequent flyer status.
Connecticut has five seats on the Democratic National Committee, not counting one filled by state party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo.
An impending vacancy already has party stalwarts lining up, one of whom is Michael Cacace, a lawyer from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s home city of Stamford who is a longtime consigliere of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
“I think it’s a natural progression at this point,” Cacace told Hearst Connecticut Media on Tuesday.
Cacace, 61, is believed to be in the mix to replace Anthony Avallone, a lobbyist and development lawyer from New Haven who was nominated for a state Superior Court judgeship earlier this month by Malloy.
“Mike has done a lot of work for the party,” said John Mallozzi, chairman of the Stamford Democratic City Committee. “So, we’ll support him.”
Until Avallone is confirmed by the General Assembly, he is not expected to resign his post on the DNC, which sets the agenda for Democrats nationally and marshals resources for targeted political races as part of its 50-state strategy.
“I immediately started to make inquiries, and, at this point, am actively seeking support on the state Central Committee,” Cacace said.
A bundler for Democratic candidates at the state and local level, Cacace has hosted recent re-election fundraisers for Comptroller Kevin Lembo and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn.
From Blumenthal’s race for state Senate in 1987 through Blumenthal’s two decades as state attorney general, Cacace served as Blumenthal’s campaign chairman, reprising that role during the 2010 U.S. Senate race against Republican wrestling matriarch Linda McMahon.
Following the 2013 municipal election, Cacace was a member of Stamford Mayor David Martin’s transition team.
The last party stalwart from Stamford to serve on the DNC was Ellen Camhi, who died in February 2013 at the age of 73. Under party rules, Camhi’s successor had to be a woman, forcing Cacace to bide his time until there was another opening on the DNC.
“I think, clearly, you get access to decision makers and standard bearers in the party,” Cacace said of DNC membership. “I think one of the tasks for somebody who is on the DNC is to try to take that knowledge and relationship and have it benefit Connecticut and Connecticut Democrats.”