A Dragon Exclusive: An Interview with Congressman Christopher Shays
By Jack R., Gold Team & Jay A., Purple Team

Question: Going into the election you must have been pretty confident, right? I mean you've been a congressman since 1987.

Mr. Shays : I was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election in 1987. Every two years since then, I have asked the people of the Fourth District to renew my contract.

I could win or lose any election, and this year was the same. My approach to campaigns is to take advantage of the opportunity to have a discussion with constituents about the issues our nation is facing and about my record of service.

 

Q: How long do you want to pursue being a congressman?

Shays: I am focused on doing the best job I can representing the people of the Fourth District for the next two years - the length of time my contract was renewed.

 

Q: We've seen you at the Juvenile Diabetes Walks, what other charity events do you go to?

Shays: I participate in numerous local charity events to support organizations in our area doing incredible work to raise awareness of and provide services to so many people who need help. Some examples include the Autism Speaks Walkathon, the Juvenile Diabetes Walk, Kayak for a Cause, Swim Across the Sound, the Heart Walk, Race for the Cure and other wonderful events in the region.

 

Q: Who do you work with? Who also was elected or re-elected in 2006?

Shays: One of the best parts of this job is the opportunity to work with so many amazing people. In the House of Representatives, I work with 434 other men and women from around the country. I make a concerted effort to reach across the aisle, working in a bipartisan manner on all my legislative efforts.

For a complete list of who was elected or re-elected in the 2006 mid-term elections, visit: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/elections/2006/House.html.

 

Q: How do you feel about the House and Senate power-shift from Republican to Democrat?

Shays: The Republicans lost this election. Our party failed to offer solutions in Iraq , conduct the tough oversight necessary, reform our ethics process and set an agenda that dealt with the big issues on voters' minds. Voters sent a message that they were not happy with one party controlling three branches of government.

 

Q: What do you think was the biggest surprise of the 2006 election?

Shays: It troubled me to see that Joe Lieberman - someone I consider to be a national treasure - set aside by his own party. He votes with the Democrats 90 percent of the time, yet his party did not consider him loyal because he works across the aisle to get things done.

 

Q: Who do you think is going to be the next president?

Shays: I believe that Senator John McCain is the right man to be our next President. He is a leader on reform issues, is an expert on defense and is a strong, fair person who can earn Americans' trust.

I am eager to see good people run in the next Presidential election so we can have a healthy debate about the future of our country. In our last Presidential election, we debated whether one candidate fulfilled his National Guard service and whether the other had earned three purple hearts.

As a result, the American people did not have the benefit of hearing meaningful debate about the challenges we face fighting terrorism, becoming energy independent, and addressing issues with our healthcare system and social security, to name a few.

 

Q: What do you think was the closest race this 2006?

Shays: The closest race in Connecticut was the Second Congressional District. It was so close it required a recount, which determined that Joe Courtney (D) defeated Rob Simmons (R) by 98 votes.