Anthony J. "Tony" Verga (born April 26, 1935) is an American politician who represented the 5th Essex district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1995 to 2009. He was defeated by attorney Ann-Margaret Ferrante in the 2008 Democratic primary. Verga was a champion of veteran's causes during his tenure and in 2006 was endorsed by the Massachusetts Veterans Services Officers Association for the position of state Secretary of Veteran's affairs. In 2008 he was awarded the National Guard Association of the United States's Charles Dick Medal of Merit. In 2012, Verga broke with his party and endorsed Republican Scott Brown over Democrat Elizabeth Warren in that year's United States Senate election. References 1935 births Democratic Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives People from Gloucester, Massachusetts Living people