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Two Parties Set The Stage For Race In The 28th District

BY STEVE BIGHAM

It's Ganim vs McKinney in the race to fill Fred Lovegrove's seat in the 28th

Senatorial District.

Democrat Tom Ganim, 31, received the endorsement of his party at a convention

Tuesday night at the Easton Senior Center. He is a resident of Easton.

Republican John McKinney, also 31, was expected to get the nod at the GOP's

convention Thursday night at the Easton Public Library. He resides in

Fairfield.

The two men, both from Easton, are expected to wage a close battle in the

months leading up to the November election.

The Hartford seat became wide open this past February when Mr Lovegrove, 58,

announced he would not seek reelection to a ninth term. He had served in the

state senate since 1982.

Mr Ganim, an attorney with the Bridgeport firm Ganim, Ganim & Ganim, fell just

short in his bid to unseat Mr Lovegrove two years ago despite running an

aggressive campaign that featured numerous TV commercials criticizing the

incumbent's record.

On the other side, Mr McKinney is close friends with Mr Lovegrove. Mr

Lovegrove was tapped to nominate Mr McKinney at Thursday's Republican

convention in Easton.

Mr Ganim was nominated by Newtown First Selectman Herb Rosenthal.

Both candidates have politics in their blood. Mr Ganim's brother, Joe, is the

mayor of Bridgeport, which Mr McKinney's father, the late congressman Stewart

B. McKinney, represented Connecticut's Fourth District from 1971 to 1987.