Christopher Del Sesto

Who was Christopher Del Sesto?

Christopher Del Sesto was a United States politician and a member of the Republican Party, who served as 64th Governor of Rhode Island. When he became Governor in 1958, Del Sesto was the first Republican chief executive to be chosen by Rhode Island voters in 20 years.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Del Sesto graduated from Boston University and Georgetown University Law School, and later he did advanced studies in taxation at New York University and the University of Miami, becoming a certified public accountant and practicing attorney in Providence specializing in taxation and finance. He also worked as an academic teacher at both Boston University and Northeastern University in the late 1930s.

Del Sesto first held public office under the Democratic administration of Governor Theodore Francis Green serving as a chief clerk in the office of the general treasurer from 1933 to 1935. In January, 1935, he was named assistant to Thomas P. McCoy of Pawtucket, state budget officer. But four months later, Governor Green ousted McCoy and Del Sesto became the budget officer. Later he went to become a special assistant to the U.S. Attorney handling cases associated with milk industry monopolies from 1938 to 1940, director of the Rhode Island Finance Department from 1940 to 1942, and a Director of the state Office of Price Administration from 1942 to 1945.