An electrical connector comprises a contact-carrying body having a plurality of electrical terminals, a slide member slidably mounted within the contact-carrying body and having a rack, an upper body mounted to the contact-carrying body, and a lever pivotally mounted on the upper body. The lever has a toothed wheel engaging the rack; movement of the lever between an inoperative position and an operative position moves the slide member between a retracted position and an advanced position. The lever has arms and a handle. Each arm of the lever has a telescoping structure including a first arm portion and a second arm portion slidably mounted to the first arm portion and connected to the handle. A movable portion including the second arm portion of each arm and the handle is movable with respect to each of the first arm portions between an elongated lever position and a shortened lever position.