April 7, 2010 | Michael Kirk

UConn to Host Gubernatorial Debates

The Law School will host two debates between the Democratic and Republican candidates on April 21.

<p>James Leahy, right, executive director of the Connecticut Daily Newspapers Association, flips a coin to determine the party order for the gubernatorial debate to be held on April 21 at the UConn School of Law. Paul Hughes of the Waterbury Republican-American looks on. Photo by Peter Morenus</p>
James Leahy, right, executive director of the Connecticut Daily Newspapers Association, flips a coin in the press room at the State Capitol to determine the party order for the gubernatorial debates. Paul Hughes of the Waterbury Republican-American looks on. Photo by Peter Morenus

The University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Daily Newspapers Association are co-sponsoring two upcoming debates between the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor of Connecticut on Wednesday, April 21 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The debates will take place in the Reading Room of the William F. Starr Hall on the UConn Law School campus in Hartford.

Candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination will debate from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. There will then be a break to allow the candidates to interact with students and members of the University community. The Democratic candidates will debate from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. The order was determined by a coin toss.

The focus of the debates will be the future of higher education in the state and how the education-workforce pipeline can best enhance the long-term vitality of Connecticut’s economy, and other topics. The format will include three moderators who will ask questions of the candidates: a UConn undergraduate, a UConn law student, and a member of the Connecticut news media.

<p>With heads as the result of a coin flip, Republicans will go first during the gubernatorial debates to be held on April 21. Photo by Peter Morenus</p>
With heads the result, Republicans will go first.

All the declared candidates have been invited. As of today the following Democratic candidates have accepted: Juan Figueroa, Mary Glassman, Ned Lamont, Dan Malloy, and Rudy Marconi.

The following Republican candidates have also accepted as of today: Lawrence Denardis, Michael Fedele, Tom Foley, R. Nelson Griebel, and Thomas Marsh.

Directions to the Law School and a campus map are available on the web.