GOP incumbency: Asset or liability in race for 4th
Waterbury Republican-American, Monday, October 27, 2008
BY QUANNAH LEONARD
The last House Republican in New England is taking on a young Democratic challenger in one of the country's most competitive congressional races.
U.S. Rep. Christopher H. Shays, a Republican from Bridgeport who has served the 4th Congressional District since 1987, is in a close race with Democratic candidate James A. Himes, a former Goldman Sachs vice president from Cos Cob who leads the New York office of a national affordable housing nonprofit.
The 4th District covers 17 towns stretching from Greenwich to Bridgeport along the coast, and inland to Shelton and Oxford.
Richard Z. Duffee, a Green Party candidate from Stamford, and Libertarian candidate Michael Anthony Carrano of North Haven also are on the ballot.
In 2004 and 2006, Shays managed to fend off spirited bids from his Democratic challenger, Diane Farrell. A survey released Oct. 20 by the University of Connecticut and Hearst Newspapers shows Shays and Himes in a dead heat, each at 44 percent.
John Orman, professor of politics at Fairfield University, said he believes Himes is one of the few young Democrats who have a chance to pull off a big upset, but he said never to count Shays out.
"Both sides are expecting to win, and both sides know they have a real good chance of losing," Orman said.
Shays said he believes the race is so close because President George W. Bush has a 75 percent unfavorable rating, because the district thinks Republicans are headed in the wrong direction and because Democratic Sen. Barack Obama is ahead by 20 points in the race for President.
But he said none of that has to do with him.
"I have a district that is a consummate district that evaluates each candidate," said Shays, a member of the financial services committee. "I think we're doing a terrific job."
Himes said the evidence of Shays' failure to provide oversight to the financial services industry is part of the reason why the race is so close.
"I think people are realizing his efforts to privatize Social Security would have resulted in disaster had they succeeded," Himes said. "People are aware that we can build a better economy, but not with the people who got us into this mess."
While both said transportation in the 4th District needs improving, the two differ on the war in Iraq.
Shays said he would remove the bulk of the American troops by the end of 2009, but leave about 50,000 troops for training, hospital work, and deterring threats from neighbors.
Himes said he would begin a withdrawal immediately because the country can't afford spending $10 billion a month to keep the troops over there.
Shays said he would work to get people and freight off the roads and onto rails or water.
One way to do that would be to build a tunnel or bridge to get freight across the Hudson River, he said.
Himes said he would prioritize issues facing the district, including the heavily-used Interstate 95.
"Anybody who has ever driven on I-95 at rush hour knows that Christopher Shays hasn't led on fixing the transportation issue in the district," Himes said.
