Peter Blute | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Executive Director of theMassachusetts Port Authority | |
| In office January 6, 1997 – August 18, 1999 | |
| Governor | Bill Weld Paul Cellucci |
| Preceded by | Stephen Tocco |
| Succeeded by | Virginia Buckingham |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMassachusetts's3rd district | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph D. Early |
| Succeeded by | Jim McGovern |
| Member of theMassachusetts House of Representatives from the11th Worcester district | |
| In office January 7, 1987 – January 3, 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Roberta Goldman |
| Succeeded by | Ronald Gauch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1956-01-28)January 28, 1956 (age 69) Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Robi Blute |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Boston College (BA) |
Peter Ignatius Blute[1] (born January 28, 1956) is an American former politician who served as aRepublican member of theUnited States House of Representatives. He served two terms, between January 3, 1993, and January 3, 1997, representingMassachusetts' 3rd congressional district. As of 2024, Blute and colleaguePeter G. Torkildsen remain the last Republicans elected to serve in the United States House delegation from Massachusetts.
Blute was born inWorcester, Massachusetts, one of 11 siblings. He grew up and currently lives inShrewsbury, Massachusetts, where he attendedSt. John's High School. He earned his B.A. atBoston College in 1978. He was the owner of a sports promotion and marketing firm, and then a marketing representative for The Burdett School.
Blute was elected to theMassachusetts House of Representatives in 1986 and served until 1993 when he was elected as a Republican to the103rd Congress and then reelected to the104th Congress. A Republican, he defeated 9-term incumbentJoseph Early, who is also aSt. John's High School alumnus, in1992 to become the first Republican to represent this district since 1947. After two terms in the House, Blute was defeated by currentCongressmanJames P. McGovern in 1996 in a reelection bid for the105th Congress. Since Blute's defeat, no other Massachusetts Republican has been elected to the House.
From 1997 to 1999, Blute served as executive director of theMassachusetts Port Authority (MassPort).[2] His tenure at MassPort came to an end following revelations of a workday "booze cruise", originally paid for with Massport funds and billed as a "survey" ofBoston Harbor, during which a female passenger, actress Gidget Churchill, aboard the vessel with Blute exposed her breasts to aBoston Herald photographer. Questions remain as to why Churchill exposed herself and who notified the local media as to the time and date of the cruise.[3][4]
Blute was then a radio talk show host forWRKO Boston from 5:30 to 9 am, co-hosting with Andy Moes from 1999 to 2001,John Osterlind from 2001 to 2003, andScott Allen Miller from 2003 until he left WRKO on October 3, 2005. He moved on to AM 830WCRN Worcester in early 2006, and hosted the station's 6 to 9 am drive-time program until leaving WCRN on May 27, 2011.[5]
On December 21, 2011, Blute was named deputy chairman of theMassachusetts Republican Party.[6]
Blute is the son of Dr. Robert Blute and Ann-Marie Blute, aDame of Malta.[7]
Blute is one of eleven siblings. One of his sisters, Paula Ebben, is a news anchor forWBZ-TV.[7]
Blute's grandfather, Paul H. Hines, served as state representative and as an aide to MayorJohn Hynes. His uncle,Peter F. Hines, served on theBoston City Council from 1958 to 1968 and was a candidate forMayor in1967.[7]
In 2005,Boston magazine ranked the Blute family the 10th out of 50 families "that run [Boston]".[8]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMassachusetts's 3rd congressional district 1993–1997 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
