Dems: ‘Dire Situation’ in Connecticut

“We’re running out of time….It’s a dire situation — one that could turn ugly….We can stop the Republicans from buying this election. But we must do it together.”

Democrats have good reason to panic in the Constitution State. This week’s Rasmussen poll gives businessman Tom Foley a 7-point lead over Democratic governor Dan Malloy (50 to 43 percent). 

Meanwhile, Quinnipiac’s latest poll, released this morning, shows the two in a virtual dead heat, with Malloy at 43 percent and Foley at 42 percent, and unaffiliated candidate Joe Visconti garnering 9 percent. Without Visconti, the two are tied at 45 percent.

But Malloy is certainly not acting like the front-runner; his desperation has become more palpable this week. After Foley released his federal income tax returns, Malloy is now demanding his state returns from multiple states, and chastising the media for not investigating. 

Malloy also just called himself a porcupine in a local radio interview. “You don’t have to love me. I’m a porcupine,” he said. “That’s okay. But I make decisions. I’m moving the state forward.”

Malloy says he’s “gratified” with the state’s newly released jobs numbers, which showed a gain of 11,500 jobs in September. At least one economist is questioning the convenient number — the highest monthly gain in 20 years. Still, the 6.4 percent unemployment rate remains above the national 5.9 percent rate.

The race is one of a handful of gubernatorial toss-ups in this cycle. One October surprise may be Obamacare; a new crop of residents has been receiving letters about discontinued plans and much higher premiums for Obamacare-compliant plans.

President Obama was supposed to campaign with Malloy last week in a rare campaign rally, but he canceled due to the Ebola situation in Dallas. He will appear with Malloy two days before the election in Bridgeport, a critical city from which Malloy needs a strong turnout. Michelle Obama also just released a radio ad for Malloy. 

Ironically, as the campaign email accuses Republicans of “buying this election,” the Connecticut Democratic party has out-spent its Republican counterpart fourfold — by about $4.8 million to $1.2 million as of the end of September. George Soros has even pitched in the maximum $10,000 contribution to the state party.

Nationally, Republicans have invested slightly more than Democrats through PACs largely funded by the RGA and DGA. Grow Connecticut, the Republican PAC, has spent just under $5 million to date, while the Democratic Connecticut Forward PAC has spent just under $4.2 million. The candidates themselves are each given $6.5 million in public election funds.

Here’s the full text of the email the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee sent out yesterday: