Matthew Ritter

Ritter was born in Hartford, Connecticut. His father, Thomas D. Ritter is a lawyer, lobbyist, and politician who served as the Speaker of the House of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1991 to 1999. his mother Christine Keller is a Judge. Ritter's grandfather, George Ritter, also served in the legislature from 1969 to 1981.

He attended Kingswood Oxford School for High School, then graduated from Colby College in 2004 with a major in Government. He attended the University of Connecticut School of Law, where he obtained his Juris Doctordegree in 2007.

In 2007, He took a job with Hartford law firm Shipman and Goodwin, LLP. He is a Partner specializing in public finance, municipal law and election law.

In 2007, Ritter was elected to the Hartford City Council, where he chaired the Planning & Economic Development and Legislative Affairs committees. In 2010, Ritter challenged 16-year incumbent Kenneth Green in the Democratic primary for Connecticut's 1st Assembly District, defeating him by just two votes (1,153 to 1,151). In the general election, he easily defeated Republican Kenneth Lerman, and Connecticut for Lieberman candidate Emanuel L. Blake.

He spent three years on the Hartford City Council prior to his election to the State Assembly, while on the Council he chaired the Planning & Economic Development and Legislative Affairs committees. In 2010, Ritter defeated incumbent Kenneth Green in the Democratic primary 1,153 votes to 1,151 votes. He won election to the heavily Democratic 1st assembly district in a three-way race defeating Republican Kenneth Lerman and Connecticut for Lieberman candidate Emanuel L. Blake.

In 2017, Ritter became the Majority Leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives, and was elected Speaker of the House in 2021.

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2024