The Day and Channel 8 announce Republican gubernatorial debate

The three candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination will meet in a debate July 28, in a forum that will be broadcast live from the Garde Arts Center in downtown New London.
The hour-long debate, which is presented by WTNH News8 and The Day, will be broadcast at 7 p.m. on WTNH’s sister station, WCTX MyTV9.
Slated to take part are Tom Foley, a former U.S. ambassador and the winner of the Republican convention endorsement; Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele, a former state representative and businessman from Stamford; and R. Nelson “Oz” Griebel, a former bank executive and leader of the Metro-Hartford Alliance.
The Day and WTNH had also planned to sponsor a Democratic gubernatorial debate for late July, but those plans have been shelved after Ned Lamont, the 2006 Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, refused to participate.
His rival for the Democratic nomination, former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy, did agree to take part in the proposed debate, planned for July 27.
“To say we are disappointed with Mr. Lamont’s decision to avoid a live televised debate before an audience of 1,500 primary voters in New London would be an understatement,” said Gary Farrugia, publisher of The Day, in a written statement announcing the debates. The paper said Farrugia made a “personal appeal” asking Lamont to participate in the debate, but that the Lamont campaign said it had already participated in debates and forums with Malloy and would focus on other campaign events in late July.
Democrats and Republicans will choose their nominees in primary voting on Aug. 10.
The Republican gubernatorial debate will be moderated by WTNH’s Ann Nyberg. Questioning the candidates will be Mark Davis, WTNH’s chief political correspondent, and Paul Choiniere, the editorial page editor of The Day.