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10/16/2018 12:02 PMVoters interested in hearing from the candidates for the 33rd State Senate District and 35th Assembly District will have the chance to do so at a debate on Monday, Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. in The Morgan School auditorium at 71 Killingworth Turnpike.
The debate will be hosted by the Morgan Political Club under the direction of Morgan civics teacher Corey Zdunczyk. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with District 35 state representative candidates Democrat Jason Adler, Green Madeleine Leveille, and incumbent Republican Jesse MacLachlan. That district includes Clinton, Killingworth, and northern Westbrook. At 7:30 p.m., another debate will take place, this time with state senate district 35 candidates Democrat Norm Needleman and Republican Melissa Ziobron. That district includes Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook, along with six other towns nearby.
Zdunczyk said the questions will be composed by the students in the club, with some assistance from him.
“The questions will be nonpartisan and pretty wide ranging,” Zdunczyk said.
The club is currently “trying to zero in on the topics we want to cover,” Zdunczyk said, and will finalize the questions at a club meeting before the debate.
The political club was founded by in 2005 by English teacher Eric Bergman. The group has hosted several debates before, notably a well-attended 2017 debate prior to the municipal elections. Early in 2018, the group hosted a debate for gubernatorial candidates for the first time.
This will be Zdunczyk’s first year running the debate, as Bergman decided to become involved in actively supporting Leveille’s campaign instead of being a neutral observer.
“He asked me to take over the club this year because he felt it might jeopardize the integrity of the event,” Zdunczyk said.
Zdunczyk, who often weaves in political events to his lessons, said he’s excited to be a participant in the event this year.
“It’s a great event that highlights the importance,” Zdunczyk said.
Zdunczyk said he hoped for a good turnout for the event, particularly among the students who will be eligible to vote in the November election.