{{Short description|American politician (born 1965)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Themis Klarides | image = | office = Minority Leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives | term_start = January 7, 2015 | term_end = January 6, 2021 | predecessor = Lawrence F. Cafero | successor = Vincent Candelora | state_house1 = Connecticut | district1 = 114th | term_start1 = January 4, 1999 | term_end1 = January 6, 2021 | predecessor1 = Ellen Scalettar | successor1 = Mary Welander | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|8|3}} | birth_place = Seymour, Connecticut, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = {{Marriage|Gregory Butler|2020}} | relatives = Nicole Klarides-Ditria (sister) | education = Trinity College (BA)<br>Quinnipiac University (JD) }} '''Themis Klarides''' (born August 3, 1965) is an American attorney and politician from the state of Connecticut. She served in the Connecticut House of Representatives, serving as House Minority Leader from 2015 through 2021. In that position, she was the highest ranking woman in the legislature. She was also the first woman to lead Republican members in the House of Representatives.<ref>{{cite web |title=Connecticut's highest-ranking female Republican is stepping down |date=21 April 2020 |url=https://www.fox61.com/article/news/local/connecticut-republican-house-leader-themis-klarides-not-running-again/520-6fce1918-e4fd-4fef-8e21-b18250e8b5da}}</ref>
==Early life and education== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=July 2021}} Klarides, a resident of Derby, Connecticut, is a native of Seymour, Connecticut. Her parents, Peter and Theodora Klarides, were immigrants from Greece who owned a local supermarket.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://valley.newhavenindependent.org/article/seymour_mourns_the_loss_of_peter_klarides_88/ | title=Seymour Mourns the Loss of Peter Klarides, 88| date=20 October 2020}}</ref> She graduated from Trinity College and the Quinnipiac University School of Law. Prior to a career in politics and law, Klarides worked as a model and competed as a body builder, as well as appearing as a ring girl on WWE's flagship program ''Monday Night Raw''.
==Professional career== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=July 2021}} Klarides is admitted to practice law in Connecticut and the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. She is a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution, the Connecticut Bar Association and the New Haven County Bar Association. As of October 2024, she practices for Marino, Zabel & Schellenberg, PLLC in the area of municipal law.<ref name="mzs-our-team-themis">{{cite web |url=https://www.mzslaw.com/our-team/themis-klarides/ |title=Themis Klarides, Attorney |work=Marino, Zabel & Schellenberg, PLLC |access-date=2024-10-17 }}</ref>
As a member of the Walter Camp Football Foundation, Klarides is committed to improving education for all of Connecticut’s children. In 2010, Klarides was given the annual “Champion of Youth” award by the Connecticut Coalition of Boys & Girls Clubs. She also received the 2010 “Children’s Champion” award given annually by the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance
She has worked closely with The Umbrella, Center for Domestic Violence Services (A program of BHcare), working to assist victims of domestic violence and providing volunteer legal assistance to women and children at the shelter for victims of domestic violence.
Klarides has received several awards from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and received their Government Leaders Against Drunk Driving Award in 2016 for her efforts in passing legislation aimed at tightening restrictions against drunk driving offenders.
In 2018, Klarides received an award from the Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut for her work concerning holocaust and genocide education.<ref name="mzs-our-team-themis"/>
Since 2006, she has served on Griffin Hospital’s the Board of Directors and in 2016 was named Second Vice Chair.
She is a former member of the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission and a former member of the Board of Finance in Seymour.
==2022 Connecticut Senate election== On May 26, 2021, Klarides filed paperwork to explore a potential candidacy for Governor of Connecticut in 2022.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtnh.com/news/politics/republican-themis-klarides-first-to-officially-seek-candidacy-in-2022-connecticut-gubernatorial-election/|title=Republican Themis Klarides first to officially consider candidacy in 2022 Connecticut gubernatorial election|date=May 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Klarides-files-to-consider-a-run-for-16204655.php|title=As widely expected, Themis Klarides to formally 'consider' a run for governor|first=Julia|last=Bergman|date=May 26, 2021|website=Connecticut Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-themis-running-governor-20210526-ra6lsvl7tvahpkyz6ylwebgfam-story.html|title=Republican Themis Klarides looking at a run for Connecticut governor in 2022|first=Daniela|last=Altimari|website=courant.com|date=26 May 2021 }}</ref> On January 30, 2022, a week after Businessman and 2018 Republican Gubernatorial Nominee Bob Stefanowski announced his bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, Klarides announced a run for Connecticut's Class III Senate seat, then-held by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pazniokas |first1=Mark |title=Themis Klarides announces run for U.S. Senate against Blumenthal |url=https://ctmirror.org/2022/01/30/themis-klarides-confirms-a-switch-to-senate-race/ |website=CT Mirror |publisher=Connecticut News Project |access-date=30 January 2022 |date=30 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dixon |first1=Ken |last2=Bergman |first2=Julia |title=Themis Klarides drops out of CT governor race to challenge Richard Blumenthal for US Senate |url=https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/Themis-Klarides-drops-out-of-CT-governor-race-to-16817065.php |website=CT Insider |publisher=Hearst |date=30 January 2022}}</ref> She did not win the Republican primary.
==Political career== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=July 2021}} Klarides was elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican in 1998 from the 114th District, serving the towns of Derby, Orange, and Woodbridge. She has been re-elected every term since. She served as the Deputy Minority leader from 2007 to 2014, when she was selected by the membership of her caucus to become the first female leader for the House Republicans effective with the 2015 session. As the House Minority Leader, she has become a leading advocate for fiscal restraint, regulatory reform, job creation and tax relief. She has been an outspoken critic of Governor Malloy and the Democratic tax policies that resulted in the two largest tax increases in state history.
===Positions=== Klarides has long advocated for reforms to Connecticut's sex offender registry. In 2015, she championed a bill that created a committee to review the state's sex offender registry laws and regulations. Her position is to have a registry that significantly increases the level of detail on an offender's profile.
The Radiological Society of Connecticut honored her in 2016 for her work in preventable healthcare services for women.
In 2017, Klarides led House Republicans in passing a bipartisan budget that included a bonding cap, a revenue cap, and a volatility cap.<ref>{{cite web |title=Themis Klarides: What Republicans Get In This Deal |date=26 October 2017 |url=https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-themis-klarides-republican-victories-in-budget-deal-20171026-story.html}}</ref> These measures resulted in the rebuilding of Connecticut's rainy day fund, as well as the additional payments made in 2021 towards the state's pension liabilities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Connecticut's $3.1 billion rainy day fund is among the best in the nation |date=28 October 2021 |url=https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-mirror-connecticut-national-leader-budget-reserves-20211028-3lxon7ozxbcxzgwd5soicv4wqq-story.html}}</ref>
In 2019, Klarides argued against removing qualified immunity for police officers during debate on the Police Accountability Act.<ref>{{cite web |title=After all-night debate, police accountability bill passes Connecticut House; lawsuits against police allowed |date=24 July 2020 |url=https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-special-session-police-accountabilty-vote-20200723-iqefn3d42nh3xljeq5mtczuhym-story.html}}</ref> Klarides voted against the Police Accountability Act.
In 2018, Governor Malloy proposed implementing tolls to provide revenue for the Special Transportation Fund. Klarides worked to defeat the proposal, and called it her signature achievement in the 2018 legislative session.<ref>{{cite web |title=Klarides' Greatest Achievement in 2018? Defeating Toll Proposal |date=10 May 2018 |url=https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2018/05/10/20180510_greatest_achievement_defeating_toll_proposal/}}</ref> In 2019, Governor Lamont made a push for tolls in Connecticut that failed to pass the legislature, with Klarides called one of "the biggest opponents of tolls".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ctpost.com/politics/article/Lamont-expected-to-give-up-on-tolls-15068492.php|title=Lamont vents frustration with General Assembly and abandons tolls |date=19 February 2020 }}</ref>
In 2022, Klarides said she did not vote for President Donald Trump in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Bergman | first1=By Julia | url=https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/Trump-s-endorsement-of-Levy-and-any-other-17353471.php | title=Trump's endorsement of Levy — and any other GOP hopefuls — a mixed picture in CT | work=CT Insider | date=5 August 2022 }}</ref>
===Election history===
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" |- ! Year ! Office ! District ! colspan=2 | Democratic ! colspan=2 | Republican ! colspan=2 | Working Families ! colspan=2 | Independent |- | style="text-align: left;" | 1998 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | style="background:#ccf;"| Patricia M. Pearson | style="background:#ccf;"| 46.1% | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''53.3%''' | | | style="background:#ff0;"| Daniel V. Presnick | style="background:#ff0;"| 0.6% |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2000 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | style="background:#ccf;"| William M. Spader, Jr. | style="background:#ccf;"| 42.1% | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''57.3%''' | | | style="background:#ff0;"| Daniel V. Presnick | style="background:#ff0;"| 0.6% |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2002 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | | | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''100.0%''' |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2004 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | | | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''100.0%''' |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2006 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | style="background:#ccf;"| Suzanne Mizzoni | style="background:#ccf;"| 33.1% | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''66.9%''' |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2008 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | style="background:#ccf;"| Marc J. Garofalo | style="background:#ccf;"| 44.7% | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''55.3%''' |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2010 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | style="background:#ccf;"| Joshua D. Hershman | style="background:#ccf;"| 39.0% | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''61.0%''' |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2012 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | style="background:#ccf;"| Aldon Hynes | style="background:#ccf;"| 36.1% | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''63.9%''' |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2014 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | style="background:#ccf;"| Aldon Hynes | style="background:#ccf;"| 33.5% | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''66.5%''' |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2016 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | | | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''85.1%''' | style="background:#c7a;"| Aldon Hynes | style="background:#c7a;"| 14.9% |- | style="text-align: left;" | 2018 | style="text-align: left;" | Connecticut State Representative | style="text-align: left;" | 114th | style="background:#ccf;"| Mary Welander | style="background:#ccf;"| 45.6% | style="background:#fcc;"| '''Themis Klarides''' | style="background:#fcc;"| '''54.4%''' |- |}
== Personal life == Klarides married Gregory Brian Butler on September 20, 2020 in Orange, Connecticut.<ref>{{cite web | last=Cohn | first=Greg |title=Weddings: Meeting an Opponent, Finding a Spouse | website=The New York Times | date=October 2, 2020 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/02/fashion/weddings/meeting-a-political-opponent-finding-a-spouse.html | access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref>
Gregory Brian Butler currently serves as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at the utility company Eversource.
Klarides dated professional wrestler Shawn Michaels in 1995.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hamflett|first=Michael|date=2020-05-09|title=10 Wrestling Messages Hidden In Plain Sight|url=https://whatculture.com/wwe/10-wrestling-messages-hidden-in-plain-sight|access-date=2021-11-06|website=WhatCulture.com|language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{C-SPAN|67054}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ct-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Ellen Scalettar}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives<br>from the 114th district|years=1999–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Mary Welander}} |- {{s-bef|before=Lawrence F. Cafero}} {{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives|years=2015–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Vincent Candelora}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Klarides, Themis}} Category:1965 births Category:American people of Greek descent Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States Senate elections Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Connecticut House of Representatives Category:People from Seymour, Connecticut Category:Quinnipiac University alumni Category:Trinity College (Connecticut) alumni Category:Women state legislators in Connecticut Category:21st-century members of the Connecticut General Assembly