AllPolitics - Congressional Races

Joan Fitz-Gerald (D)

District 6 (Denver suburbs--Aurora; Lakewood)

BORN: June 2, 1948, Brooklyn, N.Y.

EDUCATION: Marymount Manhattan College, B.A., 1970

FAMILY: Husband, John; two children

RELIGION: Roman Catholic

MILITARY: None

OCCUPATION: Public official; customer-service representative

POLITICAL CAREER: Jefferson County clerk and recorder, 1991-

ADDRESS: 16399 South Golden Road, Golden 80401. Tel.: 303-215-1776

Fitz-Gerald hopes her position as Jefferson County clerk will give her enough leverage to unseat a six-term incumbent. She says her tenure was marked by strict fiscal responsibility, and she cites her refusal to honor a $37,000 contract two outgoing commissioners had awarded to a lobbyist friend. In Washington she says she will fight for student loans, "vital social programs" and Medicare.

THE ISSUES

Budget NO

Medicare NO

Defense NO

Abortion NO

Guns YES

Gays YES

Bosnia NO

nafta YES

Welfare NO

Medical Leave YES

(For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)

QUOTE OF NOTE: "I'm running for Congress because my mother told me to ... I want to make sure that older people have the security and dignity they deserve."

Dan Schaefer (R)

District 6

BORN: Jan. 25, 1936, Guttenberg, Iowa

EDUCATION: Niagara U, B.A., 1961

FAMILY: Wife, Mary; four children

RELIGION: Roman Catholic

MILITARY: Marines, 1955-57

OCCUPATION: Public relations consultant

POLITICAL CAREER: Colorado House, 1977-79, Senate, 1979-84; U.S. House, 1984-

ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1654, Englewood 80150. Tel.: 303-738-1961

In 1982 astronaut Dick Swigert won the first election in the brand-new Sixth District, but died before taking office. Schaefer was appointed to finish the term and has never looked back. Denver is home to cable giants like TCI, and he has worked to protect their interests. He's also committed to reduced federal spending--in 1994 he proposed freezing cost-of-living adjustments every other year to help cut costs--and is favored to return to Washington.

THE ISSUES

Budget YES

Medicare YES

Defense NO

Abortion YES

Guns NO

Gays YES

Bosnia YES

nafta YES

Welfare YES

Medical Leave NO

(For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)

QUOTE OF NOTE: "Shouldn't we demand that Washington spend less so that we can keep more in our own pockets?"

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