Warner to speak to Connecticut Democrats next week

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner is heading home to Connecticut next week.

Virginia's junior senator will deliver the keynote speech Monday at the Connecticut Democratic party's biggest fundraiser -- the Jefferson Jackson Bailey Dinner -- at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Tickets for the event range from $175 to $500.

Warner was born in Indiana but mostly grew up in Connecticut -- the Hartford suburb of Vernon. He was class president at Rockville High School for three years.

"Senator Warner agreed to return home for this speech on the strict condition that he will not -- repeat, NOT -- have to play basketball against the unbeaten UCONN women's team," quipped Warner's spokesman Kevin Hall.