Bizzarro Sworn in Twice to Senate Seat as Bysiewicz Creates Show Ceremony.

State Senator Genarro Bizzarro (R-New Britain) took his seat in the legislature’s upper chamber Monday after scoring a notable upset in a February 26th special election. The oath of office was first administered by Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, the Penelope of Connecticut politics, though it’s not clear why.

The secretary of state administers the oath of office to legislators. Bysiewicz might remember that from her 12 years in that office before she crashed out of that office with unsuccessful races for governor and attorney general in 2010. Incumbent Secretary of State Denise Merrill, a veteran Democrat familiar with the Bysiewicz method, appeared on the scene and pointed out what the rules require. Merrill quietly administered the oath that mattered to Bizzarro, giving the new legislator a closeup of Bysiewicz’s ceaseless quest for a closeup.

At least one prominent Democrat is reluctant to credit Bizzarro with the shrewd and energetic campaign that allowed him to win a seat held by Democrats since Republican Nancy Johnson gave it up in 1982 to make a successful run for Congress. Democratic state chair Nancy Wyman attributed Bizzarro’s win to his unusual name. That, she thinks, caught voters’ attention. An odd explanation given Bizzarro’s earlier attempt to win a seat in the House fell short. He had the same name then.