'Big Mac' vs. the lefties

`Big Mac' vs. the Lefties The burly, avuncular man known as "Big Mac" will square off at the Democratic Ist District convention in July against four opponents, all of whom are decidedly to his port. Although any candidate who wins the votes of over 50% of the convention delegates is technically the endorsed Democrat, any hopeful who gets at least 15% of the convention vote can pursue the nomination in a districtwide primary.

Most observers in Washington, D.C., believe Secretary of State Miles Rapoport and former Senate President John Larson are the early convention favorites. One of the midwives of the income tax while a state legislator, West Hartford's Rapoport was flanked at his announcement press conference by state AFL-CIO President John Olson and the area leadership of the National Organization for Women.

The 49-year-old Larson, brother of East Hartford Mayor Timothy Larson, is another one of what seems to be an entire generation of young Democratic pols who attempt to affect the style and image of John F Kennedy. In Larson's case, he even used a JFK-style rocker at meetings in his state capitol office.

Larson is frequently described as "more conservative than Rapoport" (which, as McCavanagh notes, "isn't that difficult to be"), in large part because Larson opposed the state income tax. But on most spending issues and nearly all social issues, Larson is a predictable liberal.

Pundits and pols also question his mettle as a campaigner on a scale beyond his old legislative district. In 1994, Larson garnered the dubious distinction of becoming the first Democratic candidate for governor to win the official endorsement of his party's state convention but go on to lose the primary.

Rounding out the field are Hartford attorney Daniel Papermaster, organizer of the presidential debates in Hartford two years ago, and former State Treasurer Joseph Suggs, the lone black in the race.

Thus, the political chemistry in the 1st District definitely could allow McCavanagh to emerge with a plurality from a field in which he is the sole contender who can be called "nonliberal." Underscoring that is the lawmaker's wide network of personal friends and backers he developed as a past Kiwanis Club president, VFW member ("and the only veteran in this race"), and activist in ethnic organizations.

"But I've never based a campaign on getting just enough votes to be on top of a crowded field," said McCavanagh. "All my races are based on issues and getting people excited." In 20 years in office and ten campaigns, Jim McCavanagh has never lost.

Copyright Human Events Publishing, Inc. Jan 16, 1998
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