Connecticut Senate debate: Republican Levy hammers Blumenthal on inflation: 'You were warned'

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Connecticut Senate debate: Republican Levy hammers Blumenthal on inflation: 'You were warned'

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Republican challenger Leora Levy clashed on inflation during a WFSB Channel 3/CT Insider Senate debate Wednesday.

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal and his Republican opponent Leora Levy traded barbs over inflation Wednesday during a Connecticut Senate debate.

The WFSB Channel 3/CT Insider debate was the only one scheduled between the two candidates and highlighted the vast difference in views held by the veteran lawmaker and the Republican.

The candidates both sought to tie each other to the leader of their respective parties, leaning on the public's negative polling for President Biden and former President Donald Trump.

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Levy came out swinging with accusations that Blumenthal had gone along with Biden economic policies he knew would spike inflation.

"This inflation was deliberately inflicted on us by the Biden policies, voted for by my opponent, the trillions of dollars of spending which Larry Summers, a Democrat economist warned would cause record high inflation," Levy said of Blumenthal's record. "And that's what we're facing. First thing I would do is to stop the spending."

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., speaks during a news conference to discuss legislation that would temporarily halt U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 12, 2022, in Washington.  (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Blumenthal replied, "I know from my visits around the state how crushing the higher cost of living has been for so many families," as he defended record COVID-19 pandemic spending as bipartisan and said that Congress needs to take "stronger action" on inflation.

"The government came to the rescue of our small businesses, and I'm proud that we stepped up," the senator said.

Blumenthal, who is seeking a third six-year term, name-dropped Trump and referenced comments previously made by Levy in which she had said that she would support the former president, claiming that it showed a platform at odds with Connecticut voters.

"If you always have President Trump’s back, you can’t have Connecticut’s back," Blumenthal told Levy. 

He added, "If you are 100% for Trump, that’s 100% wrong for Connecticut."

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Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Republican challenger Leora Levy clashed on inflation during a WFSB Channel 3/CT Insider Senate debate Wednesday. (WFSB Channel 3/CT Insider)

A Quinnipiac Poll conducted in late October showed Blumenthal a with double-digit lead over Levy. 

The poll, with a sample size of 1,879 likely voters and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points, had Blumenthal leading 56% to 41%.