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Who do you think won the three-way televised debate for governor on Wednesday, Sept. 26?
- Richard Nelson "Oz" Griebel
- Ned Lamont
- Bob Stefanowski
- Undecided
But it may become a three-ring circus with the addition of independent candidate Richard Nelson "Oz" Griebel of Hartford.
Griebel is a former banker, lawyer, and was a Republican primary candidate in the 2010 gubernatorial election.
Griebel will join Democrat Ned Lamont of Greenwich and Republican Bob Stefanowski of Madison on stage at the Wednesday, Sept. 26 WFSB/University of Connecticut debate. The 60-minute debate will be broadcast live on WFSB beginning at 7 p.m.
Griebel and Lamont participated in the first post-primary debate. Stefanowski skipped that one. Griebel was not included in the two subsequent debates, which were covered by Daily Voice here as well as here.
This debate is Griebel's best chance to insert himself as a factor in the governor's race. Observers think he’s done if he cannot improve on his rambling debut at the University of Saint Joseph earlier this month.
In past statewide elections, Connecticut voters have been receptive to independent candidates. Lowell Weicker was elected governor in 1990 and Joe Lieberman returned to the U.S. Senate as an independent in 2006.
In 1970, U.S. Sen. Thomas Dodd placed a respectable third after he was repudiated for renomination by his fellow Democrats, opening the way for Weicker to win his first term in the Senate.
On Thursday, Sept. 27, Griebel’s running-mate, Monte Frank, will join Democrat Susan Bysiewicz and Republican Joe Markley at a WFSB debate that will be streamed online.
The final two gubernatorial debates are on Oct. 18 and 30.
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