First Congressional District Candidates Debate

Major and minor party candidates for the 1st congressional district seat debated at Hartford's Jumoke Academy charter school.  WNPR’s Jeff Cohen reports.

 

Incumbent Democrat John Larson, Republican Ann Brickley, Green Party candidate Ken Krayeske and Socialist Action Party candidate Chris Hutchinson spent 90 minutes answering questions from a panel of middle school students too young to vote.

 

The candidates tussled on everything from health care reform to education funding, military spending to immigration.  But it’s not often that major and minor party candidates get to face off in public, and eighth grader Diana Mignott put the issue front and center.

 

“Do you feel that the two-party system is healthy for America and effective at bringing real change.”

 

The major party candidates both praised participation in the political process of all kinds of people with all kinds of views.  Krayeske said the major parties work hard to keep minor parties out.

 

“The Democrats and the Republicans don’t want anyone else to play in their sandbox.”

 

And Hutchinson, the Socialist Action Party candidate, told the room full of students to go ahead and participate in politics if you want.  It won’t make a difference.

 

“I’m here to tell you today that it doesn’t matter which person you elect into office.  As long as a few people, a small minority of people control all of the wealth of our country, there will be no changes.”

 

The debate was moderated by Laurie Perez of Fox Connecticut and will be aired on the Connecticut Television Network. 

 

For WNPR, I'm Jeff Cohen.