First Night of Debates.

The Democratic candidates for their party’s United States Senate nomination meet tonight at 6:45 p.m. on Fox 61.

There’s no evidence that Democrats yearn for an alternative to frontrunner Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.  Nevertheless, this will be challenger Merrick Alpert’s opportunity to do something other than tweet his meal choices.  Alpert’s feisty op-ed in Sunday’s Courant suggests he’ll bring an aggrieved, anti-establishment persona to his encounter with Blumenthal.

The debate could become lively if Blumenthal engages Alpert.  We’ve never seen Blumenthal under attack at a forum like this.  Republicans preparing for November may find it more revealing than Democrats will.  G.O.P. leaders comfort themselves with the belief that Blumenthal possesses a glass jaw that they’ll expose in the run-up to November’s general election.

The encounter ought to provide Blumenthal with the chance to employ some humor to deflect Alpert’s onslaught.

Alpert is unlikely to win many votes at the Democratic nominating convention in May, so he’ll need to petition his way onto the August primary ballot.  Tonight’s debate could help him rally discontented Democrats with that task if he continues in the race.