Karyn Polito

Karyn Ellen Polito (born November 11, 1966) is an American attorney, businesswoman, and politician who served as the 72nd lieutenant governor of Massachusetts from 2015 to 2023. Polito was a Republican member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 11th Worcester district from 2001 to 2011. Polito was first elected lieutenant governor in 2014 with her running mate, Charlie Baker. They were both re-elected in 2018, and declined to seek reelection in 2022.

Karyn Polito
72nd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
In office
January 8, 2015 – January 5, 2023
GovernorCharlie Baker
Preceded byTim Murray (2013)
Succeeded byKim Driscoll
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from the 11th Worcester district
In office
January 8, 2001 – January 8, 2011
Preceded byRonald Gauch
Succeeded byMatthew Beaton
Personal details
Born
Karyn Ellen Polito

(1966-11-11) November 11, 1966
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseStephan Rodolakis
Children2
EducationBoston College (BS)
New England School of Law (JD)

Early life and education

Polito is a lifelong resident of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.[1] She graduated from Holy Name Central Catholic High School.[1] Shortly after graduating from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1988,[2] she received her Juris Doctor from New England Law in 1991.[3]

Career

An attorney,[4] Polito co-owns and operates a commercial real estate development firm.[5][1]

Polito is a member of the Republican Party.[6] Her experience in politics and government includes stints as a Shrewsbury Town Meeting member (1993-2000), a member of the Shrewsbury Zoning Board of Appeals (1994-1995), and a Shrewsbury selectman (1995-1998). Polito was the commissioner of the Massachusetts Lottery from 1999 to 2000.[2][3] In 1998, Polito ran for the Massachusetts Senate in the Second Worcester district. However, she lost the general election to Guy Glodis.[7]

Massachusetts House of Representatives

In 2000, Polito was elected State Representative for the 11th district of Worcester, which covers the town of Shrewsbury and precincts 1 and 4 of the adjacent town of Westborough in Worcester County. She served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2001 to 2011,[8] winning every election without any opposition.[9]

2010 state treasurer campaign

On March 1, 2010, Polito announced she would run for the office of treasurer and receiver-general of Massachusetts.[10] She was unopposed in the Republican primary. Polito lost in the general election to Democratic candidate Steve Grossman, but won 45% of the vote, receiving the most votes of any Republican running for office in Massachusetts in 2010.[11]

2014 campaign
Main article: 2014 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
Polito during her first term in 2015

On December 3, 2013, Polito announced her candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. The leading GOP candidate for Governor, Charlie Baker, endorsed her candidacy.[12] She was not opposed in the September 2014 primary. Baker and Polito won the 2014 gubernatorial election, defeating Democratic candidates Martha Coakley and Steve Kerrigan, respectively, 48.40% to 46.54%.[13]

2018 campaign
Main article: 2018 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

In August 2018, Baker and Polito formally launched their re-election campaign.[14] Both were successful in the Republican primary election held on September 4, 2018, with Polito running unopposed.[15] Baker and Polito faced challengers Jay Gonzalez and Quentin Palfrey of the Democratic Party in the general election. The Baker/Polito ticket defeated the Gonzales/Palfrey ticket by a margin of 1,781,341 votes to 885,770.[16]

Issues and record

Karyn Polito has been described as a socially moderate Republican who is generally conservative on most other issues.[17][18] On the Issues, a non-partisan organization that records a politician's position on issues, considers her to be a "Moderate Conservative."[19] Polito did not vote for President Donald Trump in 2016 and announced that she did not support Trump's re-election.[20]

  • Polito has supported term limits and eliminating state pensions for elected officials.[21]
  • She has been supportive of state tax cuts.[22][23]
  • She said she is proud of her pro-choice record, noting high ratings from NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood.[24]
  • Polito had an A+ rating from Gun Owners' Action League (GOAL), and an A- rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund.[25][26][27]
  • As State Representative in 2007, Polito voted yes on a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman.[28] She did support same-sex civil unions.[29] In 2013, however, Polito reversed her position and expressed public support for same-sex marriage.[30]
  • Polito opposed Donald Trump's executive order to build a wall on the southern border of the United States.[31]

Personal life

Polito resides in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts with her husband, Stephan M. Rodolakis, and their two children.[32] Rodolakis is an attorney specializing in bankruptcy proceedings.[33]

Electoral history
Massachusetts House of Representatives 11th District Election, 2000
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Karyn Polito 18,182 98.6
Write-ins Write-ins 262 1.4
Massachusetts House of Representatives 11th District Election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Karyn Polito (inc.) 12,637 99.6
Write-ins Write-ins 46 0.4
Massachusetts House of Representatives 11th District Election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Karyn Polito (inc.) 15,813 99.2
Write-ins Write-ins 129 0.8
Massachusetts House of Representatives 11th District Election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Karyn Polito (inc.) 12,995 99.3
Write-ins Write-ins 92 0.7
Massachusetts House of Representatives 11th District Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Karyn Polito (inc.) 17,241 99.5
Write-ins Write-ins 93 0.5
Massachusetts State Treasurer Election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Grossman 1,208,098 54.8
Republican Karyn Polito 993,127 45.1
Write-ins Write-ins 1,785 0.1

See also

References
  1. Karyn Polito (December 9, 2017). "Polito: Commonwealth makes inroads against opioid crisis". Worcester Sun. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  2. "Karyn E. Polito (GOP) - Candidate for Treasurer - Campaign 2010 - Boston.com". Archive.boston.com. November 2, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  3. "Polito reflects on a busy first year as lieutenant governor". September 16, 2015.
  4. "Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito: Domestic violence trainings are increasing sensitivity in family court". masslive.com. August 16, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  5. "Republican Candidate For Lieutenant Governor, Karyn Polito". Radio Boston. WBUR. October 21, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  6. Wade, Christian M. (November 6, 2018). "UPDATE: Baker, Polito poised to cinch second term at Statehouse | Other Election News". gloucestertimes.com. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  7. "Our Campaigns - MA State Senate - Second Worcester Race - Nov 03, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  8. "State Representative Karyn E. Polito". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  9. "PD43+ » Search Elections". PD43+.
  10. "GOP state representative Karyn Polito running for treasurer". March 2010.
  11. "Massachusetts - Election Results 2010 - The New York Times". elections.nytimes.com.
  12. "GOP's Polito Announces Run for Lieutenant Governor". CBS Boston/AP. December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  13. Schoenberg, Shira (November 5, 2014). "Republican Charlie Baker defeats Democrat Martha Coakley to win Massachusetts governor's race". masslive.com. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  14. Agrella, Ronald J. (August 11, 2018). "Baker, Polito Announce Re-election Campaign". NECN.
  15. "Palfrey To Face MA Lt. Gov. Polito In November". WAMC. AP. September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  16. Schoenberg, Shira (November 21, 2018). "Final 2018 Massachusetts midterm voter turnout: 60.17 percent". MassLive. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  17. "Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito Discusses Personal Approach to Politics in Massachusetts". NBC Boston. July 26, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  18. "Republican Polito To Run For Lt. Gov". www.wbur.org. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  19. "Karyn Polito on the Issues". www.ontheissues.org. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  20. "Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito On 2020 Election, Political Future". CBS Boston. September 20, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  21. "No Pensions for Politicians". Archived from the original on October 17, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  22. Service, Michael P. Norton State House News (January 7, 2019). "State income tax cut worth $175M to Mass. workers". Salem News. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  23. Reporter, By Christian M. Wade Statehouse (December 26, 2019). "Income tax rate to drop to 5%". The Andover Townsman. Archived from the original on December 26, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  24. "Lieutenant governor candidate Karyn Polito 'regrets' 2003 support for 'right to know' law backed by anti-abortion group". masslive. July 17, 2014. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  25. "NRA-PVF | Grades | Massachusetts". nrapvf.org. NRA-PVF. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved August 23, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  26. "Avi with Karyn Polito". WRKO. October 20, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  27. "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  28. "S 2220 – Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage – Key Vote". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  29. "Former Gay Marriage Opponent to Officiate Massachusetts Senator's Gay Wedding". www.governing.com. April 2, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  30. "Conservatives may pull support from Baker's campaign - the Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.
  31. "Trump's immigration order "not something that we support," Polito says". Worcester Business Journal. February 2, 2017.
  32. Pennington, Juliet (March 21, 2015). "The VIP Lounge: Karyn Polito". The Boston Globe. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  33. "Stephan M. Rodolakis". Fletcher Tilton. July 2023.
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