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Ella Grasso

Ella Grasso
Ella Grasso.jpg
83rd Governor of Connecticut
In office
January 8, 1975 – December 31, 1980
Lieutenant Robert Killian
William O'Neill
Preceded by Thomas Meskill
Succeeded by William O'Neill
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Connecticut's 6th district
In office
January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1975
Preceded by Thomas Meskill
Succeeded by Toby Moffett
64th Secretary of the State of Connecticut
In office
January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1971
Governor Abraham Ribicoff
John Dempsey
Preceded by Mildred Allen
Succeeded by Gloria Schaffer
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
In office
1952–1957
Personal details
Born Ella Rose Tambussi
(1919-05-10)May 10, 1919
Windsor Locks, Connecticut, U.S.
Died February 5, 1981(1981-02-05) (aged 61)
Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Thomas Grasso
Alma mater Mount Holyoke College
Religion Roman Catholicism

Ella T. Grasso (May 10, 1919 – February 5, 1981) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 83rd Governor of Connecticut from 1975 to 1980. She was the first woman elected to this office and the first woman to be elected governor of a U.S. state without having been married to a former governor.

Ella Rose Tambussi was born in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, to Italian immigrant parents Maria (née Oliva) and Giacomo Tambussi, a mill worker. After attending St. Mary's School, Windsor Locks, and the Chaffee School, Windsor, she attended Mount Holyoke College, in South Hadley, Massachusetts, where she earned her B.A. in 1940, and her M.A. two years later. After graduation, she served as assistant director of research for the War Manpower Commission of Connecticut.

In 1952, Grasso was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives and served until 1957. She became first woman to be elected Floor Leader of the House in 1955. In 1958 she was elected Secretary of the State of Connecticut and was re-elected in 1962 and 1966. She was the first woman to chair the Democratic State Platform Committee and served from 1956 to 1968. She served as a member of the Platform Drafting Committee for the 1960 Democratic National Convention. She was the co-chairman for the Resolutions Committee for the Democratic National Conventions of 1964 and 1968. In 1970 she was elected as a Democratic representative to the 92nd Congress, and won re-election in 1972.


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