GOP Candidates For U.S. Senate To Debate Thursday, Sunday

Now it’s the Republicans’ turn.

Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate have already met in three televised debates and, at least some of them, in one earlier meeting.

Thursday night, five Republican candidates will meet in Norwich for a 90-minute debate sponsored by The Bulletin of Norwich and moderated by Ray Hackett, the newspaper’s editorial page editor. The candidates are former WWE executive Linda McMahon; former U.S. Rep Christopher Shays, and attorneys Brian K. Hill, Peter Lumaj and Kie Westby.

Hackett said each candidate will have a total of 15 minutes to answer questions or engage other candidates, and two minutes more for a closing statement.

The debate is scheduled for 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Kelly Middle School in Norwich. Doors open at 6 p.m. No one will be admitted after 6:50 p.m. The debate will be live streamed at www.norwichbulletin.com.

The candidates are scheduled to meet again Sunday morning for a televised debate sponsored by WFSB-TV. News anchor Dennis House will moderate. Reporters Shelly Banjo of the Wall Street Journal and Mark Pazniokas of CTMirror, a political news website, will ask questions.

The debate will air live at 11 a.m. on WFSB and be live streamed on www.wfsb.com.

State Republicans will nominate a U.S. Senate candidate at their party convention May 18.