The most recent Quinnipiac poll continues to show Mr. Visconti drawing votes equally from both Mr. Foley and
Mr. Malloy. However, Mr. Visconti has now seized 16 percent of the independent
vote which ought to worry the usually unflappable Mr. Foley.
Director of the Quinnipiac
University poll Douglas Schwartz notes that the independent vote is now up for
grabs, and it cannot delight Mr. Foley that his portion of the independent vote
has diminished since the earlier Q poll.
Democrats in Connecticut are
usually strong closers because they enjoy as the party in power advantages
unavailable to Republicans. Their advantages include strong organizational
backing from unions, a media that is too often prey to the political hype that
gushes from the party in power, expectations that a campaign similar to the
successful campaign waged by Democrats in 2010 is bound to succeed in 2014, and
a general feeling of malaise, an always exhausting and anxious anticipation
that the forces of light are never bright or strong enough to overcome the
forces of darkness.
It is a given in Connecticut
politics that Republicans must enjoy a sizable edge in voter polling prior to
the general election in order to win, since Democratic advantages give the
party in power a sizable lead in state-wide races. The Republican lead of a few
months ago has now evaporated – two weeks before the general election.
Cheered on by Mr. Malloy, who was
able without breaking a sweat to throw off his own incubus, Independent Democratic
Challenger Jon Pelto, Mr. Visconti has said he is in the gubernatorial race to
the bitter end. The Independent challenger of a few months ago has now become,
in the eyes of many, a spoiler. Mr. Visconti cannot win the race, those urging
him to quit the race say, and any point made by his fruitless campaign is not
worth a new four year stretch by an invigorated progressive Malloy. Optimists
within the Republican Party – there are some – hope against hope that Mr.
Visconti will graciously withdraw and bring to the Foley campaign the
independent votes Republicans need to snatch the laurels from Mr. Malloy’s
imperious brow. By doing so, Mr. Visconti will have made himself a very hot
commodity in Republican circles.
Comments
While Visconti's number are so low to begin with that only amounts to a 1% shift in Foley's favor, remember last election Malloy only won by 0.5% so even 1% now could mean all the difference in the world.
Visconti lost fair and square. He should have supported the winner and ran another day.
I swear he must be getting a bribe to stay in the race. He is the David Bingham of 2014.
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Massachusetts got a second term of Coupe Deval acting as Governor even though he garnered only 48% of the vote. If we get Malloy again, and it turns out that Visconti's candidacy could be understood as the difference in the election, we will have every right to hold Mr. Visconti in low regard, call him vulgar names in the privacy of our own homes, and hope his dog gets fleas. He should have gotten out.
But, aside from his campaign in 2010 (or Jodi Rell's or John Rowland's) has there ever been a less inspiring presentation than Foley's 2014 run? Malloy is very unattractive, but beyond the fact that the operator of the State machinery is dishonest and reckless, can't a Republican explain what is fundamentally problematic with Connecticut's activist government?
I think it is far better to have a real person maybe elected than to have a 100 percent phony elected like John G. Rowland.