Seymour Town Hall
SEYMOUR — Incumbent Republican First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis publicly challenged her opponent to a debate.
Now whether that opponent, Democratic challenger Phil Wilhelmy, III, accepts Drugonis’ challenge remains to be seen.
This week Drugonis, via her campaign Facebook page, invited Wilhelmy to partake in a live debate — on a date and place to be determined — so residents can see where both candidates stand on the issues facing Seymour.
Wilhelmy told the Valley Indy Thursday (Sept. 28) that he hadn’t seen Drugonis’ Facebook post.
“I have not been informed of or have been asked in any way of a request of a challenge or debate,” Wilhelmy said.
Wilhelmy told the Valley Indy he may be interested in participating in a debate, but feels the way Drugonis went about asking, via a social media post, was not the appropriate way to do it.
“Proper debate is always good for voters,” he said. “I am not a fan of social media as a means of an official request. If the format of a debate can come to a mutual agreement, I may be inclined to participate.”
Drugonis said while she posed the challenge to Wilhelmy via her campaign page on Facebook, she plans to reach out to him personally, as well.
“I think a debate would be great, Phil and I get along great, and I consider him a friend,” Drugonis said. “Everyone deserves a choice and that’s why we run a democracy, not a monarchy.”
Drugonis, 54, received the unanimous nod of the Seymour Republican Town Committee to seek re-election to a second term during the RTC’s nominating caucus held this past July. She has been the Seymour First Selectwoman since 2020, having been elected by her fellow selectmen in October 2020 to finish the term of former Republican First Selectman Kurt Miller, who left mid-term to take a job in Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti’s administration.
Drugonis then ran for the seat, unopposed, in the November 2021 municipal election.
Wilhelmy, 60, received the unanimous endorsement from the Seymour Democratic Town Committee this past July. He has served as chairman of the SDTC since 2020 and filled a vacancy on the Board of Selectpersons earlier this year after Selectman Chris Bowed moved out of town. Wilhelmy previously served as deputy first selectmen under the former Paul Roy administration. He retired in 2019 after more than three decades working for Metro-North Railroad, his last position as assistant deputy of operations at Grand Central’s terminal in Manhattan.
