CONNECTICUT
Population (1994): 3,275,000 (down 0.4% from 1990), 1.3% of U.S. total
Voting-age population: 2,486,000; 1994 turnout, 46%
Median age: 34.4 years
Median household income: $41,097 ($8,833 above U.S. median)
Unemployment: 5.1% (0.5% below U.S. average, March 1996)
Last presidential election: Clinton (D): 42% Bush (R): 36% Perot (I): 22%
Congressional delegation: Five Democrats, three Republicans
Nicknamed the "land of steady habits," Connecticut lives up to its billing: all eight of its congressional delegates won their last re-election campaign. The wealthiest state (per capita) in the U.S., its economy relies on defense: nuclear submarines, airplane engines and helicopters are produced here. The Constitution State has become increasingly Democratic since the '30s and in 1990 elected a third-party Governor, Lowell Weicker, founder of A Connecticut Party. This election should maintain the trend toward consistency: the incumbents are all running safe races except Democrat Sam Gejdenson of the Second District, who was re-elected by only 21 votes in 1994.
BARBARA KENNELLY (D) District 1 (Central--Hartford)
BORN: July 10, 1936, Hartford EDUCATION: Trinity College (Washington), B.A., 1958; Trinity College (Hartford), M.A., 1973 FAMILY: Widowed; four children RELIGION: Roman Catholic MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Public official POLITICAL CAREER: Hartford Court of Common Council, 1975-79; Connecticut Secretary of State, 1979-82; U.S. House, 1982- ADDRESS: P.O. Box 3719, Central Station, Hartford 06103. Tel.: 860-278-3616
Kennelly isn't losing much sleep over her bid for an eighth term: since taking office in 1982, she has won each election with at least 62% of the vote. Her father once chaired the Democratic National Committee, and Kennelly is proud of her political roots. She recently introduced nanny tax reform (raising the threshold at which employers must pay Social Security for domestic workers) and a law penalizing deadbeat parents.
THE ISSUES
Budget NO Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion NO Guns YES Gays NO Bosnia NO NAFTA NO Welfare NO* Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "There have to be some changes to Medicare if the program is going to remain solvent. It's one of the reasons I want to go back."
KENT SLEATH (R) District 1
BORN: Feb. 24, 1935, Waterbury EDUCATION: Trinity College (Hartford), B.A., 1957; U of Hartford, M.S.P.A., 1981 FAMILY: Wife, Jane; six children RELIGION: Protestant MILITARY: Air Force Reserve, 1959-65 OCCUPATION: Tax accountant; systems analyst POLITICAL CAREER: Glastonbury board of education, 1989-92 ADDRESS: P.O. Box 494, Glastonbury 06033. Tel.: 860-633-9564
Most of the 85 Republican delegates had never heard of Sleath before they chose him as the G.O.P. nominee for the First District race--but Sleath was the only one who wanted to run. A retired tax accountant, he's vocal about cutting government spending and returning money to workers, and says problems should be addressed at a local level rather than turning to big government. Sleath has an uphill battle against Barbara Kennelly, who won in 1994 with 73% of the vote.
THE ISSUES