Thornton and Herbst agree to debate

TRUMBULL – Democratic First Selectman candidate Mary Beth Thornton called on current first selectman Tim Herbst to commit to a series of debates in the next few weeks in a press release Thursday.

“I’m ready to meet her face to face to debate our competing philosophies, and I would put my record as first selectman against her record on Town Council any day of the week,” Herbst responded.

Thornton also called on Herbst to require that candidates on his ticket debate their opponents as well.

Herbst said that would be a point of negotiation between the two campaigns and he is most concerned with the first selectman debate.

Thornton suggested the candidates for First Selectman have three debates, each dedicated to a specific theme: fiscal policy, education, and economic development. She also suggested that candidates for the Board of Education and the Board of Finance have their own debates, with a format to be agreed upon in the days ahead.

“Let’s agree on the basics today—that the candidates for First Selectman, Board of Education and Board of Finance will debate in the next month and a half,” Thornton said. “We can iron out the details as we move forward. I look forward to hearing from the Herbst campaign, and I will direct my campaign manager to meet with the Herbst camp to develop a specific action plan.”

Herbst said his campaign would be communicating with hers to arrange where and when to debate.

Vinti Singh