Cleveland — Connecticut House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, arrived here Thursday morning, saying she was delayed by a need to spend time with her ailing father, not a desire to distance herself from Donald J. Trump, the Republican National Convention or the GOP platform.
“I’m still supporting him. I’m still here. I support the nominee. I support Donald Trump,” said Klarides, one of the Connecticut politicians who had preferred Ohio Gov. John Kasich as the GOP nominee. But she smiled and said her tardiness signaled nothing political. “Nothing exciting.”
Klarides, a Trump delegate, said she had intended to arrive Tuesday in time for the roll call vote. She left her home at 3 a.m. for an early flight and arrived at the delegation hotel in time for breakfast.
Sen. Art Linares, R-Westbrook, an alternate, was a no-show until Wednesday night, saying he needed to spend time on business in Connecticut. He said he had not seen the GOP platform and was in no position to articulate what he liked or disliked.
“I am a businessman. I run a business. So, I’ve been working the past few days,” he said Wednesday night. “I flew in today, but I’ll certainly take a look at it.”
Klarides and Linares were the last to arrive among the seven state legislators in the delegation. The others are Reps. Anthony D’Amelio of Waterbury, Cara Pavalock of Bristol, Rosa Rebimbas of Naugatuck, John H. Frey of Ridgefield and Sen. Michael McLachlan of Danbury.
Frey also is a member of Republican National Committee.