Date: Fri 11-Sep-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

politics-Nunn-112th

Full Text:

Democrat Nunn Waits To See Who His Opponent Will Be

BY STEVE BIGHAM

All Andrew Nunn can do is wait.

The 31-year-old Democrat has campaigned for the 112th state representative

seat this summer not knowing who his opponent will be in November. He's

waiting to see who will win next Tuesday's Republican primary between Ed Callo

and Pat Shea.

The race became wide open earlier this summer when incumbent Bill Varese

stepped down as a candidate for reelection under pressure from the Newtown

Republican Party. Mr Varese was arrested for drunken driving and evading

responsibility following a March motor vehicle accident in Bridgeport. He then

tried to get the charges dropped on a technicality.

Mr Nunn entered the race long before Mr Varese said he would not stand for

reelection. He called the incumbent "out of touch" with the constituents.

The Republicans have been debating each other since the July caucus. Mr Callo

won easily, but Mrs Shea, feeling she still had the majority of the support,

filed papers for a primary. Support for the two seems evenly split in Monroe

as evidenced by letters written in last week's Monroe Courier .

The Democratic candidate, a Monroe native, has received ringing endorsements

from Newtown First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, who believes the young candidate

offers a fresh start.

"He is energetic, articulate and brings to the state representative position a

youthful enthusiasm that has been sorely missed for many years," said Mr

Rosenthal.

Newtown's first selectman said Mr Nunn's intent is simple: to be a positive

influence on the lives of people in Newtown and Monroe.

Monroe, like Newtown, is predominantly Republican. For years, the town council

there was made up of six Republicans and the minimum three Democrats. That all

changed last year, however, when Mr Nunn broke through, giving the Democrats a

fourth seat.

"We feel we are doing very well. We have the united support of the Democrats

in both Newtown and Monroe," said Mr Nunn's publicity manager, Judy

Standerford.

Of course, Mr Nunn said the issues that affect everyone are taxes, education

and roads, all of which he plans to address. Another big issue with the

Democratic candidate has been long-term care for senior citizens. He pledges

to support initiatives that will make the Office of Long Term Care Ombudsman

independent from state government. Currently it is a branch of the state's

Department of Social Services.

"In Connecticut, where we had a state budget surplus of nearly $500 million

this past fiscal year, it is alarming that we do not have a strong advocate

representing the needs of long-term care patients and their families to ensure

they are receiving the proper care," he said.

Mr Nunn is also keeping close tabs on the state's proposed widening of Route

25 between Route 111 in Monroe and the entrance to Fairfield Hills at Mile

Hill Road in Newtown. If elected, he could be pulled in both directions on

this issue. Many in Monroe appear to be in support of the plan, while Newtown

has generated some opposition to it.

Mr Nunn was seen marching in this week's Labor Day Parade in Newtown with his

wife, Dawn, a marketing manager for Windhover Publications in Norwalk. The

company produces bio-technical/medical publications for the health care

industry.