Community Corner

Esty, Other Dems Face Off in 5th District Debate

Cheshire's Elizabeth Esty, state Rep. Christopher Donovan and Dan Roberti are vying for the Democratic nomination to run for the U.S. House seat vacated by Republican Chris Murphy.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story stated Esty supports the legalization of marijuana; she supports the decriminalization of marijuana.


The three candidates vying for the Democratic nomination to run for Connecticut’s 5th U.S. House District seat debated education, job creation and women’s rights Tuesday night at the Chase Collegiate School in Waterbury.

The Democratic candidates — state Rep. Christopher Donovan of Meriden, Elizabeth Esty of , and Dan Roberti of Kent — were generally cordial with each other in front of a standing-room-only crowd of about 200, but voiced slightly different views on how they would govern if elected.

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The debate was moderated by Scott Bates, a member of the Democratic State Central Committee, and hosted by the Northwest Connecticut Young Democrats.

The candidates are facing off for the right to run for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, a Democrat who is running for the U.S. Senate being vacated by Joe Lieberman. There are five Republicans in the mix for the Republican nomination in the 5th District: State Sen. Andrew Roraback, Lisa Wilson-Foley, Mark Greenberg, Mike Clark and Justin Bernier.

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Education

Education was a hot topic throughout the debate and was addressed in several different forms.

The candidates were first asked how they would plan to combat rising tuition costs. Esty referred to a college education as a “ticket to the middle class” and said prices are much too high. Roberti agreed, calling the increase in costs and the rising burden of student loans “completely nuts.”

Donovan, as he did several times through the contest, stood on his record and highlighted the work he has done in education during his tenure in Hartford. He also mentioned creating a new G.I. Bill and working with AmeriCorps as ways to cut down the increasing costs.

When asked how to create employment opportunities for college graduates, Donovan and Roberti said creating jobs was the key, while Esty stressed loan-forgiveness programs to help recent grads with high student loan debt.

Job Creation

Another popular issue among the group of young Democrats putting on the debate was how the candidates plan to create jobs. All three candidates called the topic the most important campaign concern and a matter of severe importance state and nationwide. 

Donovan stressed the need to create jobs in alternative energy fields and investments in bioscience, as well as the elimination of tax breaks for overseas jobs.

“We need to work together to make America great,” he said. “We need to create more jobs and improve the lives of working families.”

Donovan also said he would support a higher tax on millionaires and would like to raise the rate of the minimum wage in Connecticut.

Esty said this upcoming election is about the future of the middle class.

“I’m running for congress because Washington has to change,” Esty said. “We need to get things done.”

She recommended a manufacturing caucus and stressed the need for politicians to follow through and make sure change happens, instead of just issuing press releases.

Roberti alluded to his jobs plan, which focuses on investments in high-speed rail, bioscience, energy and other cutting-edge jobs.

“We need to focus on job creation with a long-term eye on deficit reduction,” Roberti said.

Energy, Women's Rights, PACs

Roberti also said he felt the country is facing an energy crisis and desperately needs more sources of energy.

Each candidate sided with President Barack Obama’s decision to reject the construction of the Keystone Pipeline.

Women’s rights and the use of contraceptives were also discussed during the debate, which lasted about an hour and 15 minutes. Each candidate expressed the opinion that more needs to be done to support women’s health.

Roberti said the country is going backwards when it comes to this topic. Donovan echoed his sentiments.

“Being a woman shouldn’t be a pre-existing condition,” he said.  

On other issues, Donovan and Roberti agreed with the legalization of marijuana, while Esty supports decriminalization of marijuana. All agreed with the deletion of super PACs and pulling troops out of the Middle East.


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