Connecticut's idea of all-out war

摘要

To day-trippers from Manhattan, Connecticut is a Waspish land of well-guarded beaches, manicured lawns and soccer moms in luxury suvs. Away from the "gold coast" of southern Fairfield County, however, these wealthy suburbs rub shoulders with decaying mill towns, farmland and rotting cities. With this spread of constituents in a small state, all but the most local of Connecticut's politicians understandably tread a careful middle line on most issues. There are few better proponents of the art of moderate bipartisanship than Jim Maloney, a burly, personable, three-term Democratic congressman, and Nancy Johnson, a popular ten-term Republican. Awkwardly, thanks to redistricting, only one of them can now represent the state's congressional Fifth District. Both candidates have raised millions of dollars in campaign funds, and party leaders expect a good, dirty fight for one of the few really competitive House seats. The difficulty is finding something to fight about.