Meet the Republican in Connecticut's Three-Way Race (Human Events)

Meet the Republican in Connecticut's Three-Way Race

by John Gizzi
Posted Aug 14, 2006


With Sen. Joe Lieberman’s primary defeat at the hands of anti-war Democrat Ned Lamont last week and his decision to seek re-election as an independent, the national media have just begun to focus on the “third man” in Connecticut’s Senate race: moderate-to-conservative Alan Schlesinger, former six-term state legislator and past mayor of Derby.

No one had been paying any attention to Schlesinger, “But all of that changed on August 9—the day after Lieberman lost, which was our best media day ever,” said Schlesinger campaign manager Dick Foley, former state Republican chairman. “Alan was on Fox, MSNBC, every local television station here and six to eight radio programs.” Foley added that at least 15 reporters attended the Republican candidate’s press conference following Lieberman’s defeat.

An attorney, Schlesinger served for 12 years in the state legislature, where he was often at odds with Republican Gov.-to-be John Rowland. Schlesinger unsuccessfully challenged Rowland for a Republican congressional nomination in 1984 and in 1990 opposed Rowland ally Gary Franks for a congressional nod. (Rowland resigned the governorship last year and went to prison after pleading guilty to corruption charges.)

Elected mayor of Derby, Schlesinger took over a city whose finances were in the red and unable to pay salaries of city employees. By making cuts and instituting a tax increase without floating bonds, Schlesinger paid off the city’s debt, turned the deficit into a surplus, and eventually gave voters a rebate and lowered the taxes—“just like Ronald Reagan in his first year as governor of California,” he recalled.

Prior to last week, the most media attention Schlesinger received came following newspaper reports that he was a recreational gambler who played cards at casinos under an assumed name. Amid suggestions from some Republicans that Schlesinger resign the nomination, the candidate met with reporters and with Republican Gov. Jodi Rell and State Party Chairman George Gallo.


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