Connor Dullinger
After much thought and deliberation Newtown's First Selectman, Dan Rosenthal, has decided to not run for a fourth term in 2024. Rosenthal jumped onto the scene as the community’s top elected leader in 2017 and on February 1st he told the Newtown Bee that this term would be his last.
Before running for office, Rosenthal was responsible for marketing and investor relations in the hedge fund space for the majority of his career, and in 2016 he decided to take a break to focus on his family.
Once it became clear that Rosenthal’s predecessor was not going to run for reelection, friends and family around Rosenthal urged him to join the race. Iin January 2017 Rosenthal decided that he would run for First Selectman, and spent most of 2017 trying to get elected so he made that his full-time job. After serving three terms, Rosenthal realized that it was time.
“I sort of arrived at the fact that I got to get back to my family, this has been great, and I want to stay involved,” Rosenthal said. “I want to continue to help whoever takes over after me.”
Rosenthal talked with pride about the abundance of large projects that were completed during his time in the office.
“I’m proud of preserving property, answering the question on a police facility, and I’m proud that we got the memorial done,” Rosenthal said. “I think that [the Sandy Hook Memorial] was something that was important to finish and I’m glad I was in office long enough to see that through and to see it dedicated and open I think that was important.”
Rosenthal also elaborated on the small things that he did that he felt changed the lives of others.
“The most enjoyment I got from the job were things that were big for people and easy things for me,” Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal has lived almost the entirety of his life in Newtown. He went to Hawley Elementary School and moved back to Newtown in 1998 after graduating from Fairfield University and finding his wife.
“I don’t think I could do this job in another town,” Rosenthal said. “I think that because it is kind of a demanding job and there is some scar tissue around it, because I live here is why you do the job because you love the town and you can see the fruits of your labor.”
Rosenthal has always thought of himself as a person anyone can talk to, and he felt that his leadership style was one where he was like anybody else.
“I don’t see myself as a public figure, I kind of see myself as someone approachable and I pride myself on that, so I hope people don’t see pretense when they think of me or they think they have to greet me a certain way,” Rosenthal said. “I’m a human being like everyone else.”
In an interview with the Newtown Bee Rosenthal said that one of the best parts of his job was the ability to get a “backstage pass” to all of the amazing things that happen in Newtown each and every day. In our interview, he further explained what he thinks his duty is when it comes to all of the events that occur in the town.
“I see this job as I’m supposed to shine a bright light on it [events in town],” Rosenthal said. “If I show up, hopefully, it brings some attention and if it matters enough to them it should matter enough to me to make myself present.”
Rosenthal talked more about what his appearance at public events means.
“I feel like I’m doing it on behalf of everyone in town,” Rosenthal said. “If I show up I’m showing up for everybody else, it’s not just Dan who came, it’s the town of Newtown that showed up.”
Rosenthal is not the only one in his family to hold the position of First Selectman of Newtown. Rosenthal’s grandfather, Jack Rosenthal, was elected in 1975 and served 6 terms making him the longest-serving First Selectman in Newtown history. Having grown up in the same house as his grandfather Dan got a taste of the job at a young age.
“He used to bring me around with him, so back then I saw the power of the job to help people,” Rosenthal said. “Growing up I didn’t see the politics of the job, I really saw the power to help people and to be a visible part of the community.”
The Rosenthal political ties to Newtown do not stop there. Dan’s father Herb was on the Board of Education for 14 years and was the Chair of the Board of Education for three years. After serving on the Newtown Board of Education for more than a decade he ran for First Selectman and was elected into office in 1997.
After serving five terms Herb lost the 2007 race for First Selectman in a tight race that was decided by a minuscule amount of votes. Herb took office long after Dan became an adult and ultimately saw the political side of the job that he never saw when his grandfather was in office.
Rosenthal said that he is open to almost anything and that this job gave him skills he had otherwise never would have received.
“I’m open-minded on what to do next. From a job experience standpoint, I have learned a lot from this. I feel like it has broadened my skill set in ways that I never could have imagined,” Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal further described what the next phase of his life will be.
“I know that I’m going to go back to the private sector but nine months out it’s hard to envision what that role may be. I may go back to my industry or try out something totally new,” Rosenthal said.
At the conclusion of our interview, Rosenthal talked about the importance of the people that work around and with him.
“I couldn’t do this job all by myself so I am grateful for all of the people that work and volunteer for the town,” Rosenthal said. “I like to give credit away. Nothing that I did I do on my own. People that work and volunteer for the town should get the credit.”