Karyn Polito

See also: 2010 Massachusetts elections § Treasurer

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]

Lieutenant governor of Massachusetts

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 a 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]

Karyn Polito
Official photo, 2018
72nd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
In office January 8, 2015 –January 5, 2023

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

• List of female lieutenant governors in the United States

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. December 3, 2013. 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.
26. "Avi with Karyn Polito". WRKO. October 20, 2010. Archived from the original on December 24, 2014. 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.

External links

• Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito official government website
• About Lieutenant Governor Polito Archived October 21, 2018, at the Wayback Machine official campaign website
• Karyn Polito for Lieutenant Governor (archived)
• Appearances on C-SPAN

• Profile at Vote Smart

Party political offices
Vacant Title last held by Daniel Grabauskas 2002	Republican nominee for Treasurer of Massachusetts 2010	Succeeded by Mike Heffernan
Preceded by Richard Tisei	Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts 2014, 2018	Succeeded by Leah Cole Allen
Political offices
Vacant Title last held by Tim Murray 2013	Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts 2015–2023	Succeeded by Kim Driscoll