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In her second attempt to unseat nine-term incumbent Rep. Christopher
Shays, R-Conn., former Westport First Selectwoman Diane Farrell
is banking on the voters' desire for change and an end to the
Iraq war.
 "The
issues from two years ago have not been resolved," she told
the Darien Times. "In every instance they have intensified.
If you are happy with the status quo, then you'll stick with the
incumbent."
Though narrowly losing to Shays in 2004, Farrell gave her Republican
opponent what Roll Call termed "the race of his life."
And, according to The New York Times, "Nearly any scenario
for Democrats to gain the 15 seats necessary to take control of
the House foresees them capturing at least one and perhaps two
of three Connecticut seats now held by Republicans."
With support from a national anti-incumbent wave and low public
opinion of the Bush administration's policy in Iraq -- a key issue
this year in Connecticut politics -- Farrell's could well be the
deciding candidacy in the fight for control of the House.
Farrell was elected to the Westport Board of Finance in 1993,
following earlier careers in education and advertising. The mother
of two, Farrell ran for first selectwoman -- the equivalent of
mayor in Westport -- in 1997 and 2001, winning both races by sizable
margins. Farrell's political experience encompasses these municipal
offices and several regional committees, though her campaign biography
maintains that her experience working with the International Hospitality
Committee of Fairfield County demonstrates "her strong interest
in international affairs."
Farrell's candidacy has been endorsed by numerous labor unions
including the AFL-CIO, SEIU and AFSCME as well as liberal advocacy
groups like Moveon.org, Emily's List and the Council for a Livable
World.
Shays' campaign, meanwhile, contends that his endorsements by
the League of Conservation Voters and Human Rights Campaign demonstrate
the inroads he has made with traditionally Democratic groups during
his time in office.
Nevertheless, Farrell has focused her campaign on one issue that
differentiates the two candidates: the Iraq war. Like fellow Connecticut
Democratic candidate Ned Lamont, who highlighted his opposition
to the war in a successful primary win against incumbent Sen.
Joseph Lieberman, Farrell has long argued that Shays is a "rubber
stamp" for the Bush administration and its foreign policy.
But this tack may find less traction after Shays announced his
support in late August for a timetable to withdraw American forces
from Iraq -- making him one of only three Republican congressional
candidates around the country to break with President Bush's position.
Responding to Shays' shift, Farrell told the Westport News, "Three
months before Election Day, Chris Shays is trying to change history,
but the record is clear. Our positions couldn't be any more different
or clearer. Chris supports the war; I oppose it. Chris thinks
we're making progress; I don't. Chris doesn't think we need an
exit strategy; I do."
Independents make up 43 percent of Connecticut's registered voters
and the portion that tends to lean Republican may be swayed to
vote for Democrat Lamont because of his anti-war stance, said
Sacred Heart government professor Gary Rose as reported in the
Hartford Courant. "They're getting pulled into that column
slowly but surely by the anti-war sentiment in the state. It makes
the Republicans in those three districts vulnerable."
Though Farrell supported Lieberman during the primary, she has
joined with the rest of Connecticut's Democratic candidates in
endorsing Lamont, the party's official nominee, in November's
general election.
Farrell also is turning to homeland security, energy and economic
issues to try to differentiate herself from Shays.
In an interview with the editors of Fairfield County's Hersam-Acorn
newspaper chain, she argued that "the conflict in the Middle
East is a strong demonstration that we must extricate ourselves
from dependency on oil."
On economic policy, she said, "It's still historically outrageous
how high the deficit is. And these are the Republicans who run
on fiscal responsibility."
While turnout in Connecticut's August primary election reached
its highest level in decades, it was particularly high in some
of Farrell's strongholds. The Secretary of State reported that
Stamford and Bridgeport, two of the four towns Farrell won in
2004, "saw much higher numbers than in past statewide primaries,"
while a third -- her hometown of Westport -- notched a 57 percent
turnout. If the Lamont-Lieberman rematch generates a similarly
high turnout in these areas in November, Farrell could find the
support she needs to defeat Shays.
-- Compiled by Paul Heintz
for the Online NewsHour
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