New London ― Three 2nd Congressional District candidates ― Democratic incumbent Joe Courtney, Republican state Rep. Mike France and Green Party candidate Kevin Blacker ― tackled a host of issues that included income inequality, military spending and electoral reform in a lively debate Wednesday night at The Garde Arts Center.

The 1,420-seat theater appeared to be less than a quarter full.

France, a Navy veteran serving a fourth term in the state House District comprising Preston and parts of Montville and Ledyard, sought to torpedo Courtney’s reputation as a strong advocate for the Navy contracts awarded in recent years to Electric Boat in Groton, saying China has achieved “maritime superiority” over the United States on Courtney’s watch.

“Ever hear Joe talk about three subs a year?” France asked, a reference to Courtney’s “Two Sub Joe” nickname.

Courtney, elected in 2006 to the first of his eight terms in Congress, said EB was recovering from 1,400 layoffs when he took office and that he immediately helped reverse the shipyard’s fortunes, eventually securing guarantees of contracts for the building of two fast-attack submarines a year.

“We do have three subs,” he said. “We’ve got the Columbia program (in addition to two fast-attack Virginia-class subs).”

Blacker said, if elected, he would “find the truth” about America’s need for submarines ― “whether two subs a year was best for the country and the state, not just the district.”

“How many hungry kids could we feed with that money?” he asked.

Courtney said the massive tax cut enacted by the Trump administration worsened income inequality and that the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act has begun the process of rebalancing income distribution.

France said government has gotten in the way of providing opportunities to succeed, citing over-regulation of business and taxation as the biggest impediments. Both he and Blacker railed against what they said was Connecticut’s “unfriendly” business climate.

Courtney and France differed sharply on the need for gun control, with Courtney saying he would back the reinstatement of a U.S. ban on assault weapons. France said the problem of mass shootings should be addressed through investment in mental health. Banning weapons, he said, doesn’t prevent criminals from possessing them.

France and Blacker said they favored retaining the electoral college while Courtney said he would support its elimination. Recognizing it would require a constitutional amendment, however, he acknowledged it would be “almost impossible.”

“If Joe Courtney had told you two years ago he would sit idly by while Joe Biden passed 50 executive orders, would you have voted for him?” France asked in his closing statement. He said Biden was responsible for a messy withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan, soaring gas prices, inflation and recession.

Courtney countered, saying France had pledged loyalty to “Sen. Mitch McConnell’s America,” would oppose green energy policies and would rescind legislation allowing the U.S. government to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.

Saying he felt “left out in the cold” while Courtney, 69, and France, 59, were “arguing like an old married couple,” the 36-year-old Blacker, whose candidacy grew out of his opposition to State Pier renovations in New London, challenged voters to shift gears.

“People with youth approach problems differently,” he said.

The debate was sponsored by The Day, WFSB-Channel 3, The Garde Arts Center and the League of Women Voters of Southeasern Connecticut. It was moderated by TIm Cotter, The Day’s executive editor. The candidates were questioned by Susan Raff, WFSB’s chief political reporter; Mark Pazniokas, CT Mirror’s Capitol bureau chief; and Sten Spinella, The Day’s legislative reporter.

Supporters of Courtney and France rallied outside the Garde prior to the start of the debate, with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz appearing alongside labor union members backing Courtney. The debate was livestreamed on theday.com and WFSB’s website.

b.hallenbeck@theday.com