Valentino Capobianco, legislative aide to Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo, is leaving the Speaker’s Office to join the campaign staff of Peter Koutoujian, candidate for U.S. Congress in the Fifth District.
Capobianco spent his last day on the job Wednesday. He joined DeLeo at the Winthrop Housing Authority’s dedication ceremony in honor of the men and women that served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Artillery at Fort Banks in Winthrop.
Capobianco, 24, was a full-time aide for two-and-half-years after serving in a student internship position in DeLeo’s office. Capobianco graduated in 2007 from Winthrop High, where he was class president, and in 2011 from Suffolk University where he received a degree in American Government and Politics.
DeLeo praised his outgoing aide’s service on his staff. “Throughout his tenure of working for my office, Tino has been a valued member of my staff,†said DeLeo.
He’s particularly valuable because of his love for our community and the district as a whole. I know he’s going to do great in his new position with the Peter Koutoujian campaign. I want to wish him the very best.â€
Capobianco will have a key role in Koutoujian’s campaign operations in the communities of Winthrop and Revere. He will also serve as an advance person working with local elected officials throughout the congressional district.
“I love elections and campaigns and have always been active in campaigns since high school,†said Capobianco. “I have the Speaker’s blessing. He knows it is a great opportunity for me so I decided to run with it.â€
Capobianco said working in the Speaker’s Office was an educational experience and he thanked DeLeo for the opportunity.
“Speaker DeLeo is a mentor and father figure to me,†said Capobianco. “It was a pleasure to work for him. I’m with him in every election and everything he does in the rest of his career. He’s a friend of mine and I want to thank him for the opportunity.â€
Koutoujian, Sheriff of Middlesex County, is seeking the congressional seat previously held by Edward J. Markey, who won a special election for a U.S. Senate seat June 25.