Date: Fri 29-Aug-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

politics-Labor-Day-Parade

Full Text:

Politicians Line Up For Newtown's Parade

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Monday's Labor Day Parade will be the place to be if you're looking to catch a

glimpse of the local political candidates. Most of them will be marching.

The parade comes just a week before Democratic first selectman candidates Herb

Rosenthal and Gary Fetzer square off in a primary. They'll both be on hand,

surely reminding parade-goers of the 1989 parade when Zita McMahon and Jack

Rosenthal made their way along Main Street, Glover Avenue and Queen Street in

a bid to gain support for their upcoming primary.

In the 1989 primary, Mrs McMahon beat the incumbent Mr Rosenthal and went on

to become the town's first selectman. (For those fond of searching minutiae

for political significance, Mrs McMahon rode in a car that Labor Day, while Mr

Rosenthal opted to walk the parade route.)

Herb Rosenthal's running mate, Joe Bojnowski, will also be in the parade this

year.

Mr Fetzer said he may end up marching with fellow Board of Selectmen members

Bob Cascella and Jim Mooney. The three have never marched together and this is

their last hurrah on the board.

In a way, Mr Cascella's parade stroll will be an opportunity to say farewell

to town residents. After four years in office, the first selectman is stepping

down in December. He's marched in the parade every year since 1990.

Parade spectators should keep a lookout for the Republican team of Russ Melita

and Bill Brimmer, who will also be on hand Monday morning. Due to the

Democratic primary, the GOP team is eager to maintain its standing in the

public eye, so Mr Melita hopes to remind Newtown's voters how strong the

Republicans will be heading into the November 4 municipal election.

There are several other town seats up for election and candidates from both

parties have been invited to march. Members of the Legislative Council and

Board of Education are expected to march, as are the Democratic and Republican

town committees.

Gov John Rowland will not be on hand this year because his wife, Patricia,

will be christening the USS Connecticut in New London Monday morning. US

Senators Christopher Dodd and Joe Leiberman will be at the submarine launch,

as well. Lt Gov Jodi Rell is out of the country.

Earl J. Smith, the Democratic Town Committee chairman, has plans to march with

US Rep Jim Maloney, who was convinced of the importance of being visible in

the community by his victory over former Fifth District congressman Gary

Franks in 1996, when Mr Franks' lack of visibility became an effective

campaign theme for Mr Maloney.

State Rep Julia Wasserman also plans to march.

Those looking to bump Mr Maloney off his Fifth District seat next year, Mark

Nielsen, Tim Upson, both state senators from Waterbury, and Derby mayor Alan

Schlesinger, are also expected to march.

Bridgeport mayor Joe Ganim, projected to make a run at Gov Rowland, may also

make an appearance at the parade.

Despite the fact that it is Labor Day, no labor groups are expected to march

in the parade.