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Republican congressional candidate Dan Debicella spent part of his 36th birthday Sunday sparring with Democratic incumbent Jim Himes at the Clune Center at Wilton High School.
"There is no better way to spend it than with you," Debicella said in response to Himes wishing him a happy birthday as he began his closing statement. The audience broke up in laughter since the two had criticized one another most of the debate.
The debate started peacefully with the two agreeing on the problems with Social Security, but escalated quickly when Himes discussed energy and the environment.
"The people in this room do not want Dan Debicella in Washington working on energy policy," Himes said, claiming the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters found Debicella to have the worst environmental record of any state senator over the past decade.
"Well, let's mark it down, 15 minutes as the first time Jim Himes has lied to you today," Debicella said, explaining that he voted with the league position 73 percent of the time in 2010, and 82 percent in 2009.
Debicella is currently in his second term as senator for District 21, which covers Seymour, Monroe, Shelton and Stratford. Himes is wrapping up his first term as representative of Connecticut's 4th District, which includes Darien, Stamford, Greenwich, Norwalk, New Canaan, Wilton, Westport, Easton, Weston and Fairfield and several other communities in Fairfield and New Haven counties.
The debate was sponsored by the League of Women Voters. The moderator was Kay Maxwell, former president of the League of Women Voters of the United States and current executive director of the World Affairs Forum.
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