Karyn Polito facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Karyn Polito
Official photo, 2018
72nd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
In office January 8, 2015 – January 5, 2023
Governor	Charlie Baker
Preceded by	Tim Murray
Succeeded by	Kim Driscoll
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 11th Worcester district
In office January 8, 2001 – January 8, 2011
Preceded by	Ronald Gauch
Succeeded by	Matthew Beaton
Personal details
Born	Karyn Ellen Polito (1966-11-11) November 11, 1966 (age 58) Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Stephan Rodolakis
Children	2
Education	Boston College (BS) New England School of Law (JD)

Karyn Ellen Polito (born November 11, 1966) is an American lawyer, business owner, and politician. She served as the 72nd lieutenant governor of Massachusetts from 2015 to 2023. The lieutenant governor is the second-highest official in the state government, similar to a vice president.

As a member of the Republican Party, Polito worked alongside Governor Charlie Baker. Before becoming lieutenant governor, she was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2001 to 2011. Baker and Polito were elected together in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. They decided not to run for a third term in 2022.

Early Life and Schooling

Karyn Polito has lived in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, her entire life. She went to Holy Name Central Catholic High School. In 1988, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston College. Later, in 1991, she graduated with a law degree from New England School of Law.

Career in Business and Politics

Polito is a lawyer and also helps run her family's commercial real estate company. A commercial real estate company develops and manages properties like office buildings and shopping centers.

Her career in government started in her hometown of Shrewsbury. She was a Town Meeting member and served on the Zoning Board of Appeals. She was also a selectman, which is a local government leader. From 1999 to 2000, she was the commissioner of the Massachusetts Lottery.

In 1998, Polito ran for a seat in the Massachusetts Senate but did not win the election.

Massachusetts House of Representatives

In 2000, Polito was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. She represented the 11th Worcester district, which includes Shrewsbury and parts of Westborough. She served in this role for ten years, from 2001 to 2011. She was so popular in her district that she won every re-election without anyone running against her.

Running for State Treasurer

In 2010, Polito decided to run for State Treasurer. The treasurer is in charge of the state's money. She ran as a Republican but lost the election to the Democratic candidate, Steve Grossman. Even though she lost, she received more votes than any other Republican running for a statewide office in Massachusetts that year.

Serving as Lieutenant Governor

2014 Election

Polito during her first term as Lieutenant Governor in 2015.

In 2013, Polito announced she would run for Lieutenant Governor. Charlie Baker, who was running for governor, chose her as his running mate. In Massachusetts, the governor and lieutenant governor run together as a team.

The Baker/Polito team won the election in November 2014. They narrowly defeated the Democratic candidates, Martha Coakley and Steve Kerrigan.

2018 Re-election

In 2018, Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito ran for re-election. They easily won their party's primary election. In the main election, they faced the Democratic team of Jay Gonzalez and Quentin Palfrey.

The Baker/Polito team won by a large margin, showing they were very popular with voters in Massachusetts. They decided not to run for re-election in 2022, and their terms ended in January 2023.

What Polito Believes

Karyn Polito is known as a moderate Republican. This means her views are often in the middle, not strictly conservative or liberal. She is seen as fiscally conservative, meaning she is careful with government spending. On social issues, her views are more moderate.

Here are some of her positions on important issues:

• Government Rules: She has supported term limits, which would limit how long a politician can stay in office. She also wanted to end state pensions for elected officials.
• Taxes: Polito has supported cutting state taxes.
• Women's Health: She has stated that she supports a woman's right to make her own decisions about pregnancy.
• Gun Laws: She has received high ratings from groups that support gun ownership rights.
• Marriage: In 2007, she voted for a law to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. However, by 2013, she had changed her mind and announced her support for same-sex marriage.
• Immigration: Polito did not support President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall on the U.S. southern border. She also did not vote for him in 2016 or support his re-election.

Personal Life

Polito lives in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, with her husband, Stephan M. Rodolakis, and their two children. Her husband is also a lawyer.

Electoral history

This table shows the results of the 2010 election for Massachusetts State Treasurer.

See also

• List of female lieutenant governors in the United States