Downey : 33rd Candidates to Debate

The top contenders for the 33rd state Senate District, Assemblyman Wayne Grisham (R-Norwalk) and Democrat Cecil N. Green, will meet in a candidates forum at 7 tonight at Apollo Park Community Center, 12458 S. Rives Ave., Downey. Grisham and Green, a Norwalk councilman, and two minor party candidates are in the May 12 runoff to fill a vacancy created when former Sen. Paul Carpenter (D-Cypress) was elected to the state Board of Equalization in November.

Green, 63, outpolled Grisham, 64, in a March 17 primary but failed to capture a majority of the vote to win the election outright. The Downey forum will mark the first time the rivals have appeared publicly to debate since the primary. Also expected to attend the forum are Libertarian Lee Connelly, 34, of Buena Park, and Peace and Freedom Party candidate Ed Evans, 39, of Cypress.

All four candidates also can be seen on a public affairs show on KOCE-TV, Channel 50, an Orange County-based television station. The prerecorded question-and-answer forum will be broadcast at 8:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.