A large and lively crowd attended Tuesday’s candidate forum at Manross Library where they had the opportunity to submit questions and speak with candidates.
The majority of questions posed throughout the evening were centered around the recent discovery of an antisemitic Facebook post from Board of Education candidate Jennifer Van Gorder.
District 3 City Councilor Cheryl Thibeault was asked outright by forum attendee Logan Williams, “What consequences should be imposed for candidates running for public office who engage in actions of prejudice and bigotry like Board of Education candidate Jennifer Van Gorder.”
“I personally asked the candidate to withdraw. I sent an email and asked for the withdrawal,” Thibeault stated to bipartisan applause from attendees, many of whom attended the event to hear candidates respond to Van Gorder’s actions.
The forum held Tuesday night was sponsored by the local chapter of the NAACP, and moderated by Dana Snell, from Plainville. Snell chose the questions at random from a bingo cage filled with handwritten questions submitted by attendees.
While many questions were asked about diversity during the forum, the question “What do you plan on doing to increase diversity in Bristol, for example the LGBTQ community,” received the most responses from city council candidates.
Left: Democratic and Republican candidates answering questions at the forum. Right: Moderator Dana Snell. | Laura Bailey
District 1 City Council candidate Andrew Rasmussen-Tuller stated that it was important for him to answer the question as the only LGBTQ candidate.
“I think when we talk about this being the All-Heart City, we really need to show that we’re a city that embraces diversity, we embrace our LGBT community, we embrace everybody.”
District 1 City Councilor Sebastian Panioto, who serves as the liaison to the Diversity Council, also responded to the question of embracing diversity.
“We know the incidents that have taken place, and we want to give those communities space to speak, and we want to listen. As a white man, I see those incidences, and I can only react a certain way. It’s not going to be the same for a lot of other folks in the community. We recognize that, and we want to make sure that you are heard when those incidents happen.”
Morris “Rippy” Patton, who is running for a seat in the second district and attended virtually, also answered the question regarding diversity.
“The reality is, addressing diversity has to be something that is lived, not just when you are voted in or not voted in, why you become involved in politics. You have to look at people’s lives and say, ‘Do they have a record of service to other people?’ Then you know and you don’t have to wonder where their commitment comes from, or whether or not it’s genuine,” Patton said.
Republican City Councilors Sue Tyler, Erick Rosengren and Jacqueline Olsen fielded several questions, as did democratic City Council candidates Kim Caron, Liza Selgado-Sirko, David Landi and Mark Dickau. Republican District 3 City Councilor Andrew Howe was not present for the forum.
The upcoming municipal elections will be held on Nov. 7. To find your polling location, visit http://www.bristolct.gov/256/Polling-Locations
Laura Bailey can be reached at lbailey@bristoledition.org
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