Connecticut Gubernatorial Election, 2010 - General Election - Debates

Debates

On September 28, 2010, candidates Tom Foley, Dan Malloy, and Tom Marsh participated in the first gubernatorial debate of the 2010 race, a 50-minute, non-televised forum on education concerns in Hartford. In the debate, Foley stated that jobs and education would be his top priorities if elected governor, that more spending is not the solution to solve education-related problems, and that Malloy has "support the status quo" of teachers' unions. Malloy used the forum to advocate that schools report the amount of money spent in the classroom verses on school administration, stated that one "can be for reform and for teachers at the same time," and voiced support for a statewide universal pre-K program. Marsh stated that teachers' performance standards must improve and criticized the ratio that poorly performing doctors are removed from their jobs verses the rate at which underperforming teachers are.

Foley and Malloy met again two days later, on October 1, for a debate in Greenwich sponsored by the Greenwich, Stamford, and Norwalk chambers of commerce.

The first televised gubernatorial debate of the 2010 campaign took place on October 5, moderated by Fox News Channel chief political correspondent Carl Cameron and aired live on Fox Connecticut. Among other things in the debate in which the two opponents "clashed sharply," Foley voiced his support for retaining Connecticut's death penalty as is, pledging to veto abolishment bills placed on his desk as governor, while Malloy reiterated his opposition to capital punishment, though he stated he would not retroactively undo death sentences of individuals currently in the process. The candidates also took issue with each other's records, with Malloy accusing Foley of mismanagement while CEO of a Georgia textile mill and Foley labeling Malloy as a career politician who presided as mayor of Stamford during years in which the city had net job losses. State labor department figures have shown Stamford to have lost more than 5,000 net jobs during the 14-year period of Malloy's tenure as mayor. The Republican and the Democrat also took issue with statements and actions taken during the election season, with Foley stating that Malloy's pledge to cut gubernatorial staff by 15 percent would amount to only approximately five positions being cut and Malloy criticizing Foley for not naming a preferred running mate for the position of lieutenant governor. Malloy clarified that he had meant cutting from all positions the governor has a role in filling, stating that "about 600" positions was the real figure. Foley responded to Malloy's questioning over his running mate by stating that Republican primary voters placed Danbury mayor Mark Boughton in the position as Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, not him, but praised Boughton's experience.

A second televised debate was held between the Republican and the Democrat on October 13 in New London. A third, an afternoon debate broadcast live from Fairfield University on Connecticut Public Television, WFSB, and WNPR radio, occurred on October 19. The candidates met for a final time on October 26 for a televised debate aired on NBC 30.