Inside Report (6)

November 20, 1981

Candidate to watch for in Connecticut's race to fill a congressional vacancy - black Republican Ben F. Andrews. If elected, Andrews would have unusual credentials for a Reagan-era Republican: He is president of the Connecticut NAACP and director of the Upper Albany Community Organization, a group that uses federal funds to upgrade a black neighborhood.

His liberal ties are likely to hurt him when the state GOP convention meets Nov. 23 to choose a candidate for the Jan. 12 election. But he reportedly has been inspired by the recent election of Thirman Milner, a black, as mayor of Hartford.

One asset for Andrews - his role in the passage of Connecticut's urban -enterprise zone law, which follows the White House blueprint for upgrading depressed urban areas.