Representative Clare Boothe Luce

Clare Boothe Luce served as a Representative from Connecticut in the United States Congress from 1943 to 1947. A member of the Republican Party, Clare Boothe Luce contributed to the legislative process during 2 terms in office.

Clare Boothe Luce’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the House of Representatives, Clare Boothe Luce participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

Clare Boothe Luce (née Ann Clare Boothe; March 10, 1903 – October 9, 1987) was an American writer, politician, diplomat, and conservative public intellectual. A versatile author, she is best known for her 1936 hit play The Women, which had an all-female cast. Her writings extended from drama and screen scenarios to fiction, journalism, and war reportage. She served as a U.S. representative from Connecticut’s 4th congressional district from 1943 to 1947, and as U.S. Ambassador to Italy from 1953 to 1956. She was married to Henry Luce, publisher of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated. Politically, Luce was a leading conservative in later life and was well known for her anti-communism. In her youth, she briefly aligned herself with the liberalism of President Franklin Roosevelt as a protégé of Bernard Baruch but later became an outspoken critic of Roosevelt. Although she was a strong supporter of the Anglo-American alliance in World War II, she remained outspokenly critical of British colonialism in India. Known as a charismatic and forceful public speaker, especially after her conversion to Catholicism in 1946, she campaigned for every Republican presidential nominee from Wendell Willkie to Ronald Reagan.