Tim Larson

{{Infobox officeholder

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|12|12}}

| party = Democratic

| office = Executive Director of the Connecticut Office of Higher Education

| governor = Ned Lamont

| term_start = 2019

| office1 = Member of the Connecticut State Senate
from the 3rd District

| term_start1 = 2015

| term_end1 = 2019

| predecessor1 = Gary LeBeau

| successor1 = Saud Anwar

| office2 = Member of the
Connecticut House of Representatives
for the 11th District

| term_start2 = 2009

| term_end2 = 2015

| predecessor2 = Michael A. Christ

| successor2 = Jeffrey Currey

| office3 = Mayor of East Hartford

| term_start3 = 1997

| term_end3 = 2005

| predecessor3 = Robert DeCrescenzoa

| successor3 = Melody Currey

| office4 = Member of the East Hartford Town Council

| term_start4 = 1990

| term_end4 = 1992

| relations = John B. Larson (brother)

| birth_name = Timothy D. Larson

| birth_place = {{nowrap|East Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.}}

}}

Timothy D. Larson (born December 12, 1958) is an American politician from Connecticut.

Early life and education

Larson was born on December 12, 1958, in East Hartford, Connecticut, to Raymond and Lois Pauline Larson.[https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/106752/timothy-larson Timothy Larson's Biography] The youngest of eight children, one of Larson's brothers is politician John B. Larson.{{cite news |last1=Price |first1=Terry |title=A Background In East Hartford Football |url=https://www.courant.com/2003/01/10/a-background-in-east-hartford-football/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=10 January 2003}} Larson was raised in Mayberry Village and attended East Hartford High School, graduating in 1976.{{cite news |title=High School Reunions |url=https://www.courant.com/1996/10/17/high-school-reunions-2/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=17 October 1996}}{{cite news|last1=Dempsey|first1=Christine|date=18 July 1997|title=Tim Larson Gets Mayoral Nod|work=Hartford Courant|url=https://www.courant.com/1997/07/18/tim-larson-gets-mayoral-nod/|access-date=12 August 2018}}{{cite news|last1=Dempsey|first1=Christine|date=24 October 1996|title=Vigil Honors 7-year-old Victim Of East Hartford Fire|work=Hartford Courant|url=https://www.courant.com/1996/10/24/vigil-honors-7-year-old-victim-of-east-hartford-fire/|access-date=12 August 2018}}

Career

He served on the East Hartford Town Council from 1990 to 1992,{{cite news|last1=Dempsey|first1=Christine|date=30 October 1997|title=Mayoral Campaign Styles Differ|work=Hartford Courant|url=https://www.courant.com/1997/10/30/mayoral-campaign-styles-differ/|access-date=12 August 2018}} and received the most votes in the 1991 East Hartford Town Council election, but did not contest the 1993 municipal election.{{cite news |title=Timothy Larson To Omit House Race To Assist Brother |url=https://www.courant.com/1994/02/09/timothy-larson-to-omit-house-race-to-assist-brother-2/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=9 February 1994 |last=Gosselin |first1=Kenneth R.}} Larson remained active in politics by helping his brother John run his gubernatorial campaign in 1994. Tim Larson later worked as assistant to East Hartford mayor Robert DeCrescenzo.{{cite news |last1=Dempsey |first1=Christine |title=Town Lake Suffers An Identity Crisis |url=https://www.courant.com/1997/04/15/town-lake-suffers-an-identity-crisis/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=15 April 1997}}{{cite news |last1=Dempsey |first1=Christine |title=East Hartford Officials Target Apartment Units |url=https://www.courant.com/1996/11/30/east-hartford-officials-target-apartment-units/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=30 November 1997}} When DeCrescenzo announced that he would not seek another term in office, both Larson and Henry Genga sought the mayoralty as Democrats.{{cite news |title=Decrescenzo Will Not Seek Re-election |url=https://www.courant.com/1997/05/14/decrescenzo-will-not-seek-re-election/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=14 May 1997}}{{cite news |last1=Dempsey |first1=Christine |title=Tim Larson Enters Mayoral Race |url=https://www.courant.com/1997/05/22/tim-larson-enters-mayoral-race/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=22 May 1997}} Larson accepted the endorsement of the local Democratic Party in July 1997,{{cite news |last1=Dempsey |first1=Christine |title=Six Flags Talk Has East Hartford Abuzz |url=https://www.courant.com/1997/07/22/six-flags-talk-has-east-hartford-abuzz/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=22 July 1997}} and defeated Genga in a primary that September.{{cite news |last1=Dempsey |first1=Christine |title=Larson Survives Primary Challenge |url=https://www.courant.com/1997/09/10/larson-survives-primary-challenge/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=10 September 1997}}{{cite news |last1=Dempsey |first1=Christine |title=Name, Record Help Larson Win Primary |url=https://www.courant.com/1997/09/11/name-record-help-larson-win-primary/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=11 September 1997}} Larson then won the November general election against Republican Richard L. Mourey. Larson faced Bob Fortier in 1999,{{cite news |last1=Seremet |first1=Patricia |title=Riverboat Party Had Magic -- And More |url=https://www.courant.com/1999/08/30/riverboat-party-had-magic-and-more/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=30 August 1999}} and won a third term against Susan Kniep in 2001.{{cite news |last1=Budoff |first1=Carrie |title=Campaign Manager Is Fined By State |url=https://www.courant.com/2001/10/11/campaign-manager-is-fined-by-state/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=11 October 2001}} He remained mayor through 2005.{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Roberto |title=Mckenna's Local Touch Will Be Missed |url=https://www.courant.com/2005/03/02/mckennas-local-touch-will-be-missed/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=2 March 2005}}

Larson first sat on the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2008.{{cite news|last1=Hernandez|first1=Samaia|title=Pauline Larson, Longtime Political Activist and Mother Of U.S. Rep. John Larson, Dies|url=https://www.courant.com/2012/10/10/pauline-larson-longtime-political-activist-and-mother-of-us-rep-john-larson-dies-2/|access-date=12 August 2018}} He was reelected unopposed from the eleventh district in 2010,{{cite news |title=GOP Endorses Candidates For State House Of Representatives |url=https://www.courant.com/2010/05/13/gop-endorses-candidates-for-state-house-of-representatives/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=13 May 2010}} and defeated Thomas Ogar in 2012.{{cite news |title=Democrats Retain Control Of Manchester's State Seats |url=https://www.courant.com/2012/11/07/democrats-retain-control-of-manchesters-state-seats/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=7 November 2012}} In 2014, Larson ran for the Connecticut Senate seat from the third district.{{cite news |last1=Muñoz |first1=Hilda |title=Democrats Nominate Candidates For State House Seats In East Hartford Area Districts |url=https://www.courant.com/2014/05/21/democrats-nominate-candidates-for-state-house-seats-in-east-hartford-area-districts/ |access-date=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=21 May 2014}} He retained his seat in 2016, winning 56.4% of the vote against Carolyn Streeter Mirek, deputy mayor of South Windsor.{{cite news |last1=Leininger |first1=Tim |title=Larson, Streeter Mirek focus on crumbling foundations in 3rd Senate race |url=http://www.journalinquirer.com/connecticut_and_region/larson-streeter-mirek-focus-on-crumbling-foundations-in-rd-senate/article_5c5ff090-9d6f-11e6-9ad2-ef997d5d0da7.html |accessdate=12 August 2018 |work=Journal Inquirer |date=29 October 2016}}{{cite news |last1=McWilliams |first1=Kathleen |title=South Windsor Deputy Mayor Carolyn Streeter-Mirek Challenges Sen. Timothy Larson |url=http://www.courant.com/community/south-windsor/hc-south-windsor-mirek-to-challenge-larson-0513-20160512-story.html |accessdate=12 August 2018 |work=Hartford Courant |date=12 May 2016}}{{cite news|date=November 8, 2016|title=Connecticut 3rd District State Senate Results: Timothy Larson Wins|work=New York Times|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/connecticut-state-senate-district-3|accessdate=12 August 2018}}

While Larson was reelected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2018, he did not take office for his third term as State Senator, as he was named by Ned Lamont to head the Office of Higher Education despite having never worked in higher education.{{cite web |last1=Bedner |first1=Eric |title=Larson leaving Senate |url=https://www.journalinquirer.com/politics_and_government/larson-leaving-senate/article_64a8bdee-1361-11e9-aa83-2bcb56c1928a.html |website=Journal Inquirer |accessdate=14 April 2020 |language=en |date=8 January 2019}}{{cite web|title=Timothy Larson|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Timothy_Larson|accessdate=14 April 2020|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}

On December 26, 2023, Larson was sued in a class action lawsuit along with other employees of the State of Connecticut employees as the result of damages caused to students in his mismanagement of the closure and the unlawful revocation of credits of students from Stone Academy. [https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/stone-academy-students-sue-state-call-audit-denying-them-credits-government-overreach/amp/]

For ten years Larson also served as executive director of Tweed New Haven Airport.

References

Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the Connecticut House of Representatives

Category:Democratic Party Connecticut state senators

Category:Mayors of places in Connecticut

Category:People from East Hartford, Connecticut

Category:Connecticut city council members

Category:21st-century members of the Connecticut General Assembly

Category:20th-century members of the Connecticut General Assembly