Date: Fri 24-Jul-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

politics-Nielsen-5th-AP

Full Text:

Nielsen Gets GOP Nod In 5th District

HARTFORD (AP) -- State Sen Mark Nielsen of Danbury won the Republican

nomination for the 5th Congressional District over former Derby mayor Alan

Schlesinger, but Schlesinger came away from the district convention with

enough votes to wage a primary.

Nielsen beat Schlesinger 166-60. Schlesinger, 40, said he will decide next

week whether to run a primary, after consulting with Republican State Chairman

Chris DePino and Gov. John G. Rowland.

The Democratic challenger in the 5th District is one-term US Rep James

Maloney.

In his acceptance speech, Nielsen, 33, praised Schlesinger but said a primary

could sap the party of the unity and momentum needed to beat Maloney.

"My position has always been that primaries are not helpful. They're costly

and counterproductive,'' Nielsen said.

At other conventions Monday, Madison businessman Martin Reust, 41, accepted

the nomination of Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District to face

four-term incumbent US Rep Rosa DeLauro.

In the 1st District, a seat held by Democrats for the past 40 years,

Wethersfield lawyer Kevin O'Connor accepted the GOP nomination. O'Connor, 30,

faces the successor to longtime US Rep Barbara Kennelly, who is leaving office

to run for governor.