Sal Rocca
Sal Rocca is an Italian immigrant to the United States who served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives for several years, as well as serving a few terms as a member of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. He made an unsuccessful run for the Republican nomination for the Michigan Senate district in Sterling Heights and areas north, losing to Dave Jaye in the 1998 primary. Rocca's son Tory Rocca currently represents the State House District previously represented by his father.
Rocca was born in Casalvieri, Italy to Virginia and Ororio Rocca. When Rocca was six his family moved to Windsor, Ontario. At age 13 he immigrated with his family to the United States, moving to Detroit, Michigan. Rocca graduated from Detroit's Southwestern High School and has taken courses at Macomb Community College. Rocca is a Roman Catholic and a member of St. Blase Catholic Church in Sterling Heights.
Rocca was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1974 as a Democrat. He served through 1980. In 1982 he was again elected to the State House serving through the end of 1994. In 1992 he switched parties to become a Republican. From 1995-2001 Rocca served as a member of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. He was again elected to the State House in 2000 and served through the end of 2004.
Rocca previously worked for General Motors and is a licensed real estate broker. During his last term in the Michigan House Rocca had the most time as a member of the house of any member, since unlike most of his other fellow house members in 1992 he had not used up all his post-1992 six years allowed by the term limit laws.
