Politics rules the roost Oct. 6 at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven in an event with multicounty implications. Sacred Heart University in Fairfield is participating.
The event, “Election 2014: Polls, Pundits and Popcorn,” is billed as a forum that will look at key U.S. Senate races and try to determine whether Republicans will take Senate control or if Democrats can hang on to their slim majority in the Nov. 4 elections.
The program also will look at the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Connecticut”™s contests and how the results of the congressional elections could affect the last two years of President Barack Obama”™s administration. (Republicans control the House now and are expected to hold that position after the election.)
Discussion of the race for governor in Connecticut between Greenwich resident Tom Foley, a Republican, and Dannel Malloy, the Democratic incumbent and former Stamford mayor, is also on the docket.
The forum runs noon to 2 p.m. at SCSU”™s Michael J. Adanti Student Center, Grand Ballroom. It is free to the public.
Jennifer Dineen, director of the University of Connecticut/Hartford Courant poll, will deliver an overview of the latest polling numbers in her keynote address.
A panel discussion will follow that includes Gary Rose, chairman of the Sacred Heart University Department of Government and Political Science; Laura Baum, project director of the Wesleyan Media Project, who will look at the trends in political TV advertising; Art Paulson, chairman of the SCSU Political Science Department; and Scott McLean, professor of political science at Quinnipiac University in Hamden. Christine Stuart, editor of CTNewsJunkie, an online news publication that includes state political news, will serve as moderator.
A question-and-answer period will follow the panel discussion. Light refreshments ”“ including popcorn ”“ will be available.
The program is sponsored by the SCSU Office of Public Affairs. For more information, contact Joe Musante, forum coordinator, at 203-392-5073.
