Westport News - Jim Himes: Man on a Mission

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Westport News - Jim Himes: Man on a Mission

Fresh off his "Listening and Leading Tour" and an overseas trip to Israel, 4th District democratic candidate for Congress Jim Himes will face an Aug. 12 primary against fellow Democrat Lee Whitnum to try and secure the party's nomination.

The winner of that primary will go on to face longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4, in an attempt to unseat the last remaining Republican representative in New England.

In the most recent filings from the FEC (Federal Election Com­mission), Shays and Himes are in an apparent dead heat in campaign fund-raising; Himes weighs in with roughly $2.1 million, only slightly short of Shays' estimated $2.3 million.

Himes, a 42-year-old Harvard graduate and former vice president at Goldman Sachs & Co., represents, many 4th District Democrats believe, the best challenge to Shays and his long-standing congressional career.

"I support Jim Himes 100 percent," said state Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. "I know he'll be victorious on primary day and we need to make sure people get out and vote so he wins handily going forward into November. Jim Himes has made the case and has the vision. He's a hard-working guy who brings his own ideas to the table and is busy raising a family, so I think he can relate to a lot of the problems people are facing. He's a great candidate."

Echoing a need for change harped on by presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, Himes met with local officials -- including Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz and State Comptroller Nancy Wyman -- at a July 29 press conference at the McLevy Green in Bridgeport, designed to address the urgent need for new direction at the congressional level.

"By far the most consistent theme that has been raised has been our economy and its stabil­ity," said Himes in a recent interview with the Norwalk Citizen-News, a sister paper of the Westport News, following the Bridgeport press conference and his recent "Listening and Leading Tour." In that initiative, Himes toured all 17 4th District towns in 17 days in an effort to engage members of the public in discussion about issues that have been of particular concern.

"There is a consensus that our economy is not what it should be," said Himes, adding that a major concern repeated continually during the tour was the need for an increased number of stable jobs.

Himes said many of the citizens he has spoken with recently stressed the impact the "economic crunch" was having on them. "People are simply having a difficult time keeping it all together.

We should be awarding the hard-working people at the heart of our economy," he said.

Himes has been a workhorse in providing solutions to the affordable housing crisis, spurred by his work at Goldman Sachs, the Greenwich Housing Authority and Enterprise Community Partners, where he worked with public, private and community organizations to address the complex issue of urban poverty. Himes, a Rhodes Scholar, has also spearheaded financing for thousands of affordable housing units in the greater New York and Northeast regions.

There may be no more pressing matter at the present, Himes said, than the war in Iraq; his early July trip to Israel was scheduled in re­sponse to volatile tension in that region of the world.

"There is no one, clear solution to the crisis in Iraq and the Middle East," Himes said. "I wanted to put my money where my mouth is and go there and talk with people at the heart of the situation, people that deal with these issues every day."

The Democratic candidate, who also spent time as an exchange student in Jordan, said he believed understanding some of the causes behind the conflict and eradicating "Islamic extremism" would be at the heart of alleviating violence, both at home and abroad. He has been outwardly critical of Shays and President George W. Bush and, in contrast, has said he aggressively supports an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Moreover, he supports drastically reducing dependence on foreign oil and configuring military to better address terrorist threats.

Himes' other stances include better regulation in the mortgage industry, investing in a safe, clean energy policy, securing borders against illegal immigrants and documenting the current illegals, overhauling and fully funding No Child Left Behind and developing universal health care.

Before Himes has a chance to challenge Shays for the 4th District seat and possibly bring his expertise and vision to Congress, he must first face Whitnum in the Aug. 12 primary. A debate be­tween Whitnum and Himes was recently held and aired on Channel 12 this past weekend.

"I was a delighted to be a part of the debate and I believe everyone will see the sharp contrast between us on many of the issues," Himes said.

Not immune to political controversy, Himes has been closely tied to the embattled New York U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-15, who recently has been under fire for his involvement with four rent-controlled properties in Harlem, N.Y. Republican detractors are quick to point out that the Himes campaign has reportedly received thousands in donations from Rangel.

"For Jim Himes to be outspoken in his support for Charlie Rangel undermines his theme of wanting to change Washington," said National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesman Julie Shutley in a statement. "Charlie Rangel has had multiple ethics complaints filed against him by D.C. watch groups and is the epitome of old-style Washington. For Himes to be embracing him is the height of hypocrisy."

Himes, however, who learned to blend the game of business, politics and old-fashioned hard work described the NRCC's attacks in regard to Rangel as "an organized Republican effort" to derail him.

"I am proud to defend a man who was a lion in the civil rights movement. I believe everyone should be judged by the totality of character. To degrade a lifetime of achievements is beyond comprehension," said Himes.

Looking forward, if elected, Himes said his first day in Congress would involve doing everything in his power to begin creating a safe energy policy and wholeheartedly leading a movement to generate universal health care for all Americans.

In the meantime, the Democratic candidate will continue on his campaign trail in an effort "to meet every person in the district."

"Do we want a future like the last eight years?" asked Himes. "Or do we want a future of prosperity?"

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