Date: Fri 20-Mar-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

politics-Nielsen-congress

Full Text:

Nielsen Hopes Familiarity Will Breed Support

BY KAAREN VALENTA

State Sen Mark Nielsen, who received the endorsement of Lt Gov M. Jodi Rell

this week in his bid for Congress from Connecticut's Fifth Congressional

District, intends to become a more familiar figure in the Greater Danbury

area.

Area voters may not know Alan Schlesinger, former Derby mayor who may force a

primary in August for the Republican nomination. But most know Mr Nielsen and

the Democratic incumbent, US Rep James Maloney, because both served Greater

Danbury as state senators.

"If Jim Maloney wins again he will be around a long time, but I think (former

US Rep Gary) Frank's inattention and (presidential candidate) Bob Dole's

abysmal performance in the state allowed him to get in (in the 1996

election)," Mr Nielsen said during a recent stop at The Newtown Bee .

Mr Nielsen is the legislator who sued the General Assembly for its failure to

implement the spending cap amendment to the state constitution that voters

passed at referendum in 1992. He also stood virtually alone in the state

Senate in opposing the welfare reform package that he said had far too many

loopholes.

"I am a conservative, a real tiger on fiscal issues, the economy and free

enterprise," he said. "I am pro-choice except for late-term abortions, and am

for the assault weapon ban. I was (Gov John) Rowland's point person on welfare

reform, the ranking Republican on the Human Services Committee, shepherding

bills through.

"I'm in the Rowland mold. A little more conservative than (Connecticut

Congressmen) Nancy Johnson and Chris Shays, but more in the middle of the

national Republican party."

To wrest the nomination from Rep Maloney, who served four terms as state

senator from the 24th District, Sen Nielsen would have to do well not only in

towns like Newtown, but also in urban areas like Waterbury and Danbury. In

Danbury, he is he first Republican state senator to be elected since the

1960s. Although he faces the hurdle of unseating an incumbent in good economic

times, he says there are many voters in the Fifth District who aren't sharing

in the upswing in the economy.

"There are still towns that are largely Democratic in the district where

double digit -- or almost to it -- unemployment still exists," he said. "Jim

Maloney has thrown himself in with labor against free trade. In Waterbury, I'd

have to convince workers at a factory that if their product can't be sold

overseas, it is not good for them economically."

Waterbury has only 15 percent of the voters in the district but has a

disproportionate power in picking a candidate, Mr Nielsen said.

His quiet, patrician demeanor belies a flame-throwing style that has focused

its intensity on privatizing, deregulating, tax-cutting, welfare-reforming

issues. He says he is particularly passionate on two points -- "points beyond

compromise."

"Number one is welfare reform," he said. "I believe passionately that

government should never do things that cause people to relinquish

responsibility for their own lives."

"And second, government should not grow to the point where it sucks the life

out of the economy. I worked for the binding spending cap. It was enacted but

through a sleight of hand, never got implemented. It was a ballot question in

1992 and 81 percent voted for it. There was supposed to be an amendment to the

state constitution but that never happened."

Sen Nielsen said he intends to run a clean campaign through his political

advertising.

"Maloney's famous rat ad reflected his way of campaigning. I'd like to think

I'd hold to a higher standard," he said.