5th District Republicans Nominate Nielsen

Mark Nielsen officially became the Republican nominee for Congress during the Fifth Congressional District Convention on Monday, July 10, at the Fireside Inn in Newtown. The unanimous vote of approval by the 273 delegates sets up a rematch between the former state senator and incumbent US Rep James Maloney of what had been the nation’s second closest congressional race in 1998.

 Mr Nielsen, 35, predicted a different outcome than two years ago when he lost by just 2,343 votes. “We are going to win this year,” he told the delegates from the 27-town district that stretches from Danbury east to Waterbury and Meriden.

The seat was held by Republicans John Rowland and Gary Franks for 12 years before Jim Maloney won four years ago. But the hotly contested race two years ago gave Mr Nielsen name recognition throughout the district, and he has spent recent weeks spreading his message of reform, which primarily targets three issues: Social Security, education, and taxes.

During his nomination speech, Mr Nielsen detailed his Social Security reform plan, saying he supports a move toward personal accounts through which wage earners have the option of investing a portion of their payroll taxes in securities. He also outlined a series of education reforms that include “high stakes testing – testing with consequences” for teachers and students; school choice initiatives, merit pay, and teacher tenure reform. On taxes, he pledged to seek a lower, flatter income tax and vowed to address Connecticut’s extremely low rate of federal fund reimbursements.

“Connecticut receives only 69 cents back from each dollar we send to Washington,” he said. “I say this is wrong.”

Both parties consider the Fifth District a crucial race. Democrats need to hold the seat to regain control of the House of Representatives. Republicans have designated the seat as a main target in the upcoming campaign.

Mr Nielsen is counting on a better turnout in a presidential election year and is hoping strong Republican candidates like George W. Bush and Waterbury Mayor Philip A. Giordano for US Senate will help him with Fifth District voters. He lost Waterbury by 1,288 votes in the last election.

“This time I have a better platform, more visibility with which to focus the public on differences that exist,” Mr Nielsen told the delegates Monday evening. “I spent 95 percent of the last campaign just trying to get on the radar screen.”

Mr Nielsen’s name was placed in nomination by former Derby Mayor Alan Schlesinger, who had sought the congressional nomination against Mr Nielsen in 1998.  The nomination was seconded by Mr Nielsen’s wife, Jane, and approved unanimously on a town-by-town vote.

Mark Nielsen served one term as state representative and two terms as state senator representing the Greater Danbury area before leaving office to challenge Congressman Maloney in 1998. An honors graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Mr Nielsen practices law and serves on the board of the Yankee Institute for Public Policy, a Connecticut-based think tank.  He lives in Danbury with his wife Jane, an executive with Pepsi-Cola, and  their infant son, Robert.