▁" the ▁best ▁man ▁for ▁the ▁job ▁is ▁a ▁woman ". ▁( U pon ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Als op ▁was ▁called ▁by ▁the ▁Hart ford ▁Cour ant ▁" one ▁of ▁Connecticut ' s ▁fin est ▁sons ". ▁ ▁Als op ▁and ▁both ▁of ▁his ▁parents ▁had ▁all ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Connecticut ▁General ▁Assembly ; ▁his ▁grand father , ▁a ▁Dem ocrat , ▁had ▁served ▁as ▁lieutenant ▁governor ; ▁his ▁brothers ▁were ▁Washington ▁political ▁column ists ▁Joseph ▁Als op ▁and ▁Stewart ▁Als op ; ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁grand ne p hew ▁of ▁President ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t ▁and ▁a ▁desc endant ▁of ▁President ▁James ▁Mon roe .) ▁ ▁M s . ▁Bel aga ▁subsequently ▁captured ▁the ▁party ▁nom ination ▁with ▁victory ▁in ▁a ▁three - way ▁g ubern atorial ▁primary ▁( be ating ▁State ▁Sen ators ▁Richard ▁Bo zz uto ▁and ▁Ger ald ▁Lab ri ola ) ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁but ▁lost ▁the ▁November ▁election ▁to ▁Democratic ▁Governor ▁William ▁A . ▁O ' Ne ill . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁Bel aga ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁Republican ▁President ▁George ▁H . ▁W . ▁Bush ▁as ▁Region ▁ 1 ▁( New ▁England ) ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Environment al ▁Prote ction ▁Agency ▁( E PA ). ▁She ▁was ▁later ▁appointed ▁by ▁Democratic ▁President ▁Bill ▁Cl inton ▁to ▁the ▁Ex port - Import ▁Bank , ▁a ▁test ament ▁to ▁the ▁este em ▁in ▁which ▁she ▁was ▁held ▁by ▁leaders ▁in ▁both ▁political