2nd Shays-Farrell campaign goes down to the wire
FAIRFIELD, Conn. --U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays often attracts national attention for his views on terrorism and the war in Iraq, but he's quick to mention of late that he's a champion of animal rights and the arts, too.
The Connecticut Republican is trying to broaden his appeal and show a softer side in a race dominated by the unpopular Iraq war he has supported.
"There's no way I'm one-dimensional," Shays told the members of a Rotary Club recently.
Democrats are targeting Shays, a 19-year veteran in the campaign of his life. Polls show Shays and his anti-war challenger, Democrat Diane Farrell, are locked in a virtual tie in a race that could help determine the balance of power in Congress.
Democrats need to gain 15 seats to regain a majority in the House.
The race is a rematch of 2004, when Shays beat Farrell 52-48 percent. The 4th Congressional District in Fairfield County has 120,000 Democrats, 102,000 Republicans and 148,000 unaffiliated voters and includes the nation's wealthiest towns as well as Bridgeport, a largely impoverished city that is the largest in Connecticut.
In the latest campaign finance reports, Shays raised between $3.2 million and $3.4 million, while Farrell raised $2.5 million.
Shays calls himself the foremost expert in Congress on the war and terrorism. He was the first member of Congress to visit Iraq after the 2003 invasion by U.S. troops and has returned 13 times.
But with Farrell relentlessly criticizing his support of the war, Shays recently shifted positions, becoming one of the few Republicans to call for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation and suggesting a timeline for troop withdrawals from Iraq.
"He seems to have become more of a critic than when the campaign began," said Gary Rose, a political science professor at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. "I think that is what is sustaining him. Had he remained where he was on the war, I think Farrell would have a commanding lead."
Farrell calls Shays' positions election-year conversions and notes that she called for Rumsfeld's dismissal long before Shays. She's also suggested a transition plan to begin bringing troops home and setting "achievement benchmarks" rather than dates, for implementing such a pullback.
She accuses Shays of supporting President Bush on key issues such as the war, privatizing Social Security and fiscal policies that have caused record deficits. Her television commercials include images of Shays exiting an airplane with the president, who remains unpopular in Connecticut.
Farrell appeared at a newly opened warehouse Monday in Bridgeport to highlight efforts to revive Bridgeport. She noted the American death toll for October climbed past 100, while Shays has continued to support Bush's policies.
"This is where our focus as American leaders should be," Farrell said at the warehouse. "Right now we spend $250 million every day in Iraq."
Shays is spending the final says of the campaign reminding voters that he has been active on plenty of other issues. He says his seniority has helped bring home a long list of federally funded projects.
Shays also emphasizes he's an independent Republican who is not afraid to buck the party on campaign finance reform and stem cell research. He told the Rotarians that he never introduces major legislation without a Democratic sponsor, but says that approach has become more difficult because the party is not cooperating with him in a targeted race.
Shays has avoided negative ads in the past, but this time Republicans are slamming Farrell over taxes and spending when she was first selectman in Westport.
Farrell has been trying to shore up her base, appearing frequently in heavily democratic Bridgeport, where Shays lives. Courting the growing Hispanic vote, she appeared last month in the city with the governor of Puerto Rico.
Farrell got a boost last week when the Green Party candidate agreed to withdraw from the race and support Farrell. A Libertarian candidate, Phil Maymin, remains in the race.
"I think on Shays' right flank Maymin could pull in a few votes," Rose said. "That could tip the balance. He's kind of the Ralph Nader of 2000 here."
With less than a week to go, the race likely will be decided by whichever campaign has the stronger grass-roots effort to get out voters, Rose said.
"So they really have to have the soldiers out there in a very intense, organized way," Rose said. 