Paul Formica is an American

restaurateur A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspe ...

and

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

member of the

Connecticut State Senate The Connecticut State Senate is the upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The state senate comprises 36 members, each representing a district with around 99,280 inhabitants. Sen ...

, representing the 20th District since 2015. Previously, Formica was the First Selectman of the town of East Lyme from 2007 to 2015.

Early life

Formica grew up in

Cheshire, Connecticut Cheshire ( ), formerly known as New Cheshire Parish, is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Cheshire was 28,733. The center of population of Connecticut is located in Cheshir ...

, and graduated from

Cheshire High School Cheshire High School is a comprehensive public high school serving approximately 1,538 students; it is the sole comprehensive high school of Cheshire Public Schools. Located at 525 South Main Street in Cheshire, Connecticut, Cheshire High School ...

in 1971.

Career

Since 1983, Formica is the owner and operator of Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant. In 2007, Formica became the First Selectman of East Lyme Town Hall. On November 4, 2014, Formica won the election as the state senator of Connecticut. On January 12, 2015, Formica became the

State Senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of ...

for the 20th Senate District. Formica represents parts of southeastern

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...

in the Senate, including the towns of

Bozrah Busaira ( ar, بُصَيْرا, buṣayrā; also Busayra, Busairah or Buseirah) is a town in Tafilah Governorate, Jordan, located between the towns of Tafilah ( Tophel) and Shoubak and closer to the latter. Bozrah ( he, בָּצְרָה ; also ...

East Lyme East Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 18,693 at the 2020 census. The villages of Niantic and Flanders are located in the town. Geography East Lyme is located in southern New London County, w ...

, Montville (part),

New London New London may refer to: Places United States *New London, Alabama *New London, Connecticut *New London, Indiana *New London, Iowa *New London, Maryland *New London, Minnesota *New London, Missouri *New London, New Hampshire, a New England town ** ...

, Old Lyme,

Old Saybrook Old Saybrook is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,481 at the 2020 census. It contains the incorporated borough of Fenwick, as well as the census-designated places of Old Saybrook Center and Saybroo ...

(part), Salem, and

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. On November 5, 2021, Formica was selected by the Senate Republican caucus to serve as the deputy leader, taking the title of Senate Republican Leader Pro Tempore. In January 2022, he declared that he would not seek reelection in November.

Personal life

Formica has three daughters and a son. His wife, Donna Formica, died in 2009.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Formica, Paul Republican Party Connecticut state senators Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American politicians People from East Lyme, Connecticut