Norwich ― Delegates to the state Republican Party’s 2nd Congressional District nominating convention endorsed Mike France’s second uncontested bid to defeat Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney in the November election.

The convention took place Monday night at Norwich Free Academy.

“I’m running because Joe Biden and Joe Courtney continue to fail Connecticut,” France said in a statement issued through a spokesman for his campaign. “The budget for sub construction was recently cut in half by one of the Joes and you can rest assured the other one will vote for whatever he tells him to.

“I’m here to stand up for the people of eastern Connecticut ― not toe the party line coming out of Washington. You can count on that,” France said.

France, a former four-term state representative from Gales Ferry, lost to Courtney by 18 percentage points in 2022.

District Democrats nominated Courtney for a 10th term at a May 13 convention in Coventry.

― Brian Hallenbeck