Election Notes Connecticut: Across the Color Line

Not even the opposition of the N.A.A.C.P. could prevent Connecticut’s Gary Franks from becoming the first black Republican member of the House of Representatives since 1935. Franks, 37, a prosperous real estate investor and a Waterbury alderman, is a fiscal conservative who opposes racial quotas. The Yale graduate hails his win as a classic victory over “tax-and-spend” liberalism.

Elected from a staunchly conservative district, which includes some of the wealthiest communities in the nation, Franks knocked out Democrat Toby Moffett, an ex-TV anchorman and former Congressman who was backed by various civil rights groups. Says University of Connecticut political science professor Howard Reiter: “Expect him to be displayed prominently at the 1992 convention. He’s very articulate and could quickly become a national voice.”