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On what he dubs an ultra-grass-roots campaign, Coppola vowed to spend no more than $40,000--the district's median household income. By October he had spent only $4,800, mostly to print 3-in.-by-5-in. campaign cards. Unable to afford TV or radio ads, he has hit the road, handing out his cards, attending any event he's invited to and getting four hours of sleep a night. He says jobs are the No. 1 issue in the Third and supports the recent welfare reform, but says it needs to include more money for day care, job training and medical benefits.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare NR Defense NR Abortion NR Guns NR Gays NR Bosnia NR NAFTA NO Welfare YES Medical Leave NR (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "In Congress, people spend too much time passing feel-good legislation."
ROSA DELAURO (D) District 3
BORN: March 2, 1943, New Haven EDUCATION: Marymount College, B.A., 1964; Columbia U, M.A., 1966 FAMILY: Husband, Stanley Greenberg; three stepchildren RELIGION: Roman Catholic MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Political activist POLITICAL CAREER: U.S. House, 1990- ADDRESS: 49 Huntington Street, New Haven 06511. Tel.: 203-497-8034
Politics is nothing new to DeLauro: both her parents were New Haven aldermen, and her husband is one of President Clinton's pollsters. Serving her third term, this liberal looks out for her constituents' problems, big and small: she helped a small dairy farm rebuild after a fire and pushed for a defense budget that includes $10 million for Sikorsky Aircraft, one of the district's leading industries. She also promoted a statewide effort that connected 75% of Connecticut's public and private schools to the Internet.
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: "The Internet can be a great equalizer that gives an elementary school without an extensive library the ability to tap into the best research libraries in the world."
BILL FINCH (D) District 4 (Southwest--Stamford; Bridgeport)
BORN: March 4, 1956, New York City EDUCATION: U of Connecticut, B.S., 1978 FAMILY: Divorced; two children RELIGION: Roman Catholic MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Rehabilitation-center development director; cancer-society development director POLITICAL CAREER: Bridgeport city council, 1991- ADDRESS: 625 Tunxis Hill Cutoff, Fairfield 06430. Tel.: 203-367-9972
Finch has an uphill battle to wage against Christopher Shays. Proposing three new R's in education--Respect, Responsibility and Results--he supports school-breakfast and school-lunch programs and wants to preserve the Department of Education. Finch is using the Democratic strategy of linking Republicans to House Speaker Newt Gingrich, accusing Shays of abandoning his moderate stance.
THE ISSUES
Budget NO Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion NO Guns YES Gays YES Bosnia NO NAFTA YES Welfare NO Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "Education is meant to be the great equalizer of society--not a tool for politicians to use to separate those who have, from those who are not as fortunate."