In a debate focused heavily on the unprecedented political moment rather than policy, U.S. Rep. John Larson defended his nearly three decades in Congress as his three challengers sought to make the case for new leadership amid some fiery exchanges.
Tuesday night’s hour-long, taped debate hosted by WTNH News 8 swung between attacks on Larson and on former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, the two well-financed candidates in the race who have been dominating the airwaves in the final weeks before the Aug. 11 primary.
The first half of the debate focused on “one of the central questions of this election, which is whether there should be a new face of the 1st District,” as the moderators put it. Larson and his challengers fielded questions about the dynamics of the first primary in 28 years for the Hartford-based seat, which also put Larson’s tenure under a microscope.
But Bronin, the party-endorsed candidate, also took regular blows from Larson, West Hartford Rep. Jillian Gilchrest and Hartford Board of Education member Ruth Fortune.
The four candidates had appeared once previously at an NBC Connecticut televised forum in early July. But this was the first time they took part in a debate where they could directly respond to one another’s claims and criticisms.
From the outset, Larson’s three opponents sought to make the case that someone new should represent Connecticut’s 1st District in Congress and, more broadly, vented their frustration with the Democratic Party for standing up, or not, to President Donald Trump.
Larson, who wouldn’t say whether he was running for his last term, said his main focus is ultimately on Trump. He has sought to push back against criticism that he and other Democrats in Congress aren’t doing enough to take on the administration. He noted the articles of impeachment he filed against Trump over his handling of the war in Iran.
“As I’ve said, many times, this seat will be open soon enough, but we’re in the middle of a crisis,” Larson said. “My quarrel is not with any of these candidates on the stage. My quarrel is with Donald Trump, and that’s who I’m going to continue to take on.”
But he and the other candidates sparred on various issues and over how Democrats can take on the Trump administration over the course of the hour-long debate.
