An army of politicians were back at the Crocodile Club luncheon in Bristol in a long-held tradition that has been revived after a hiatus.
The crowd was not as large as last year when the 2010 elections were in high gear in what was arguably the most exciting election season in Connecticut in decades. With open seats for governor and attorney general in 2010, about 400 political insiders attended the luncheon. This year, the crowd was about 200, including Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, Attorney General George Jepsen, and former Sen. Biagio "Billy'' Ciotto.
This year's event was the 130th meeting of the light-hearted political roast - a long-running luncheon that has traditionally attracted the top politicians in the state.
The club had been dormant since 2002, but politicians said that 2010 was the right time to resume the tradition because it was the most exciting political year in Connecticut since 1970, which featured a three-way battle for the U.S. Senate and an open seat for governor when incumbent Democrat John Dempsey did not seek re-election.
The luncheon brought out the crowd at the ballroom at the Lake Compounce amusement park, and they dined on the trademark menu - right down to the watermelon.
In an event similar to the famed Al Smith Dinner that raises money for Catholic Charities at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, the Crocodile Club draws some of the state's top politicians and their colleagues.
