To The Editor:

The College Democrats of Connecticut (CDCT) are proud to invite Newtown residents to a pre-caucus Democratic candidate debate for State Representative in House District 106 on Thursday, April 2, at 7:30 pm. This forum is designed with a simple goal: to give voters a fair, open opportunity to hear directly from all candidates, understand what they stand for, and make an informed choice.

All declared candidates and the Newtown DTC Chair have been directly invited to the CDCT debate. Any additional candidates who file for this race between now and the debate will also be invited to participate.

House District 106 was the first contested Democratic State House primary in Connecticut. As part of our statewide effort to strengthen Democratic voter participation, particularly among young voters, this debate is an opportunity to increase engagement and ensure voters hear directly from those seeking to represent them. As the organization representing college and university Democrats across Connecticut, with members in communities throughout the state, we take this responsibility seriously.

Due to a conflicting event, the debate will no longer be held at the Newtown Community Center. We are in the process of confirming the Newtown High School auditorium and will update our social media, all campaigns, and the Newtown DTC as soon as that location is finalized.

The CDCT debate will be moderated by our Executive Board members and structured to promote a substantive discussion of the issues that matter most to Newtown residents by soliciting questions from the audience.

The event will be open to the public.

We encourage residents from across the district to attend, listen, and engage. A strong democracy depends on informed voters and open exchange. This forum is an opportunity to advance both civic engagement and an informed electorate.

Ryan Rosario President, College Democrats of Connecticut Meriden