Despite objections from 45 lawmakers, an executive with the company that runs professional wrestling was approved Wednesday by the state House of Representatives for a seat on the 11-member state board of education.

Linda E. McMahon, who oversees the World Wrestling Entertainment empire with her well-known husband, Vince, had raised controversy among some at the state Capitol who questioned the violence and sex appeal of the televised turnbuckle melodramas that are played out in arenas and on TV screens across America.

By a vote of 96 to 45, the House approved the nomination that had been made by Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

Rep. Shawn T. Johnston, a Thompson Democrat, said that professional wrestling has changed sharply from decades ago and is now featuring "very beautiful, scantily clad women'' who are often engaged in pillow fights and other contests that he said are not in the best interests of children.

Many high-level Democrats voted against the nomination, including House Majority Leader Denise Merrill of Storrs, deputy speaker David McCluskey of West Hartford, deputy majority leader Melissa Olson of Norwich, longtime judiciary committee co-chairman Michael Lawlor, and the co-chairwoman of the higher education committee, Rep. Roberta Willis of Lakeville. None of them spoke from the floor. Rep. Andrew Fleischmann of West Hartford, who co-chairs the education committee, also voted against McMahon.

But House Republican leader Lawrence Cafero of Norwalk warned legislators that they should not oppose nominees simply because their professions or activities "might be interpreted as not right for children.'' He asked if lawmakers would vote in the future against smokers because society does not want children to smoke. "So where do we draw the line, folks?'' Cafero asked.

"Be careful of that road, folks,'' Cafero said. "Good decent people who make a good, honest reason ... will be precluded from serving their state or their city or their town.''

Rep. Jack Thompson, a Manchester Democrat, said that America already has enough violence without promoting the matter even further.

"It seems to me that we're sending the wrong message to people - that violence is all right,'' said Thompson. "It's the wrong message. I grew up with a professional wrestler. He lived behind me. We were great friends. At one point, he was Sinbad the Sailor when he was the bad guy. ... When people are jumping off ropes onto other people, it sends the wrong message to children.''

Wrestling has been a family business in the McMahon family for decades, dating back to the days of famous characters like Bruno Sammartino, Andre The Giant, Gorilla Monsoon, Captain Lou Albano, Chief Jay Strongbow, Classy Freddie Blassie, Ernie "The Big Cat'' Ladd, and George "The Animal'' Steele.

A longtime resident of Greenwich's affluent "backcountry'' section, McMahon, 60, serves as the chief executive officer of the Stamford-based WWE, which is a widely known brand across the country. She serves as a trustee at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield and has had a longtime interest in education.