Debicella acted as the Fairfield County regional chair for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign.
He represented eastern Fairfield County in parts of the towns of Monroe, Seymour, Stratford, and the entire city of Shelton (which is also his hometown).
Working with Republican Governor Jodi Rell, he supported a budget that increased state aid for education by 10–20% without raising taxes.
On August 10, 2010, Debicella won the Republican three-candidate primary field with 61% of the vote, defeating Robert Merkle and Rick Torres.
Debicella won the following areas: Darien (67%), his hometown of Shelton (65%), New Canaan (65%), Easton (58%), Monroe (58%), Greenwich (55%), Oxford (55%), Ridgefield (54%), Wilton (54%), and Trumbull (53%).