Former Derby Legislator Spends Big In Possible Gubernatorial Bid

CONNECTICUT — Themis Klarides, the former state House Minority Leader, has spent $400,000 of her own money in recent months as she considers a run for governor of Connecticut, reported the Hartford Courant and other media outlets.

Klarides, a Republican who represented Derby, Orange and Woodbridge, was Minority Leader from 2015 to 2020, and has yet to formally announce her candidacy. But she launched an exploratory committee last year, and is one of the more widely known Republicans to do so.

She lived in Derby and represented her district for 22 years, but now Klarides resides in Madison.

If she runs and receives her party's nomination, she would face incumbent Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont, who announced his re-election campaign in November, reported the Connecticut Mirror.

Financial disclosures reportedly show that most of Klarides's spending has gone to consultants and political operatives, who are likely helping to craft a campaign strategy.

Among others, those expenditures have gone to:

• Battleground Strategies from Washington DC (and Durham, CT)
• North Point Associates LLC from Massachusetts
• Percipient Strategies from Washington DC
• Strategic Partners & Media from Maryland
• Tusk Productions LLC from New Jersey

Lamont won a close election in 2018 over Republican Bob Stefanowski, who also has not yet formally announced his candidacy.