Among the reactions to the first Democratic U.S. Senate debate, between Merrick and Connecticut's Attorney General, was that of reporter David Collins, of New London's The Day. Appearing in the Wednesday March 3, 2010 printing, this article, titled Ghost of Chris Dodd hovers over senate race debates, discusses both the first Democratic and the Republican debates, as well as the some of the primary distinctions between the campaigns of Merrick and the Attorney General.

Following the first Democratic Senate debate between Merrick and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on Monday March 1st, Susan Raff and WFSB (CBS) News Channel 3 caught up with Merrick at a press conference - an interview that was aired on the news that evening.

On the evening of Monday March 1, 2010, Merrick joined Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and host Tom Condon for the first Democratic debate of the 2010 U.S. Senate race. The event, which was broadcast live, was sponsored by The Hartford Courant and WTIC Fox61, and hosted at the Lincoln Theater at the University of Hartford. Issues discussed included the economy, health care, and foreign policy.
Provided are links to illustrate the marked differences between the policy stances of Merrick and Mr. Blumenthal, which swiftly became clear - with Merrick calling for bold initiatives and decisive action to address our pressing social issues, and Attorney General Blumenthal reinforcing incrementalism and modest steps toward alleviating the struggles that face Connecticut citizens, our state, and nation.

On Sunday, January 24th, The Day published a profile piece about Merrick and his continued bid for the United States Senate. This front page feature article, written by Ted Mann and titled, He's a Man On a Mission: Merrick Alpert brushes off obstacles to getting senate nod, discusses Merrick's motivations for running, and his grassroots effort to make certain that a strong, progressive Democrat preserves Connecticut's senate seat come November.