A Republican looking to be elected to Congress is challenging the Democratic incumbent to a debate in each of the 41 municipalities in the 5th District. 

3rd term Sherman First Selectman Clay Cope was unanimously endorsed by the GOP to challenge two-term Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty.  Cope said he was responding to the Esty campaign's vague challenge that is he unwilling to debate the facts.

He says what differentiates the pair is that he is hands-on.  He also called Esty "out of touch with the district".

Cope says the one time Esty visited Sherman was on a Monday, when town hall and all but one business in town are closed.  He said he would have been proud to share the progress in Sherman including a new library, a long-stalled firehouse which was recently completed and a new public works wash-station.  Cope also said he would have shared plans that the five municipalities that surround Candlewood Lake have to mitigate milfoil problems.  He called Candlewood Lake an economic engine for the five towns.