Drift to right tests Republican loyalty
Financial Times, Sunday, October 26, 2008
By Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Stamford, Connecticut
Christopher Shays may be the only remaining Republican member of the House of Representatives in New England, but he is not looking for pity.
"I don't feel like a victim. I'm so grateful for all the opportunities that I've had. I feel pretty upbeat," the Connecticut congressman tells the Financial Times.
But looking at the reelection prospects of a man who calls himself a moderate Republican, Mr Shays, like dozens of Republicans this year, seems close to becoming a casualty - not only of George W. Bush's unpopular administration but also of John McCain's decision to choose Sarah Palin, the deeply conservative governor of Alaska, as his running mate.
For 21 years, Mr Shays has represented the fourth district of Connecticut. It encompasses towns including Greenwich and Westport, where Wall Street's "old money" lives and mingles with "new money" of hedge fund executives. George H.W. Bush was raised here and Martha Stewart, the interior design icon, once called it home. Here, Republicans do not cling to "guns and religion". They are socially liberal and fiscally conservative. They like balanced budgets.
There are gritty parts of the district, too, such as the once industrial city of Bridgeport, one the poorest cities in Connecticut.
The two extremes play perfectly into the hands of Mr Shays' Democratic opponent, Jim Himes.
The 42-year-old former Goldman Sachs executive, Harvard graduate and Rhodes scholar left Wall Street to work at a non-profit organisation that develops affordable housing. Born in Peru to American parents, he speaks fluent Spanish, an edge in his outreach efforts among the largely Hispanic community of Bridgeport.
On a chilly October morning, Mr Himes greets commuters in Westport waiting for the 7:26 Metro North train to Grand Central Station in New York.
Asked how Democratic messages on the economy, a central campaign platform across the country, play in affluent parts of the district, where there are no signs of widespread foreclosures or other hardships voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania are facing, Mr Himes says people are struggling even here.
"There is a lot more people feeling economic pain than you might think."
Still, he admits there are other political dynamics at play that are not necessarily linked to the financial crisis. "I'll draw substantial Republican support [here]. Moderates are disgusted with the rightward drift of their party," he says, echoing comments by Colin Powell, the former Republican secretary of state who endorsed Barack Obama last weekend.
Nancy Adler, a Westport commuter who works in publishing, says she supported Mr Shays in 2006 but is opting for Mr Himes this year because of the "policy of the parties". "I think Chris Shays has done a pretty good job. But in terms of overall philosophy, I need to vote straight down the ticket this time," she says.
Myra Boxer, a retired business manager who attended a presidential debate, recalls with some amusement the 88-page "résumé" the Shays campaign handed out before the event. "I could see after 21 years, Chris Shays may be a little tired," she says.
Ann, a Greenwich shopkeeper who is a registered Republican but calls herself independent, says she is impressed by all the advertisements she has seen about Mr Himes but does not harbour anger toward Mr Shays. "I don't blame Shays for Bush's ineffectiveness - is that a nice way to put it?"
Her biggest concern this year is Ms Palin. The self-styled "hockey mom" may have rallied the support of Southern and Rust Belt conservatives, but her views have left an entire class of north-eastern Republican voters out in the cold. "I definitely don't want a 72-year-old with that nominee. She is far too conservative for me," she says.
Mr Himes' victory is not a foregone conclusion. Mr Shays has already narrowly survived two tough contests in 2004 and 2006. Though Mr Himes has painted his opponent as a foot soldier for Mr Bush, Mr Shays insists he has only voted with the president 52 per cent of the time and he has inspired respect over the years from voters who know him.
At a private fundraiser for Mr Shays attended by Newt Gingrich this week, John Raben, the Republican chairman of the Greenwich town committee, said the former Republican House speaker heaped praise on Mr Shays' independence. He also said, according to Mr Raben, that if he lost, Mr Shays would play an important role in leading Republicans back to the majority.
But Mr Shays does not see it that way.
"If my contract is not renewed, I'm out," he says. "I couldn't do a better job than I'm doing."
