Republicans showed out for a final "Get Out the Vote" rally at a concrete company in Wallingford that more closely resembled a rally for President Donald Trump, than for Gubernatorial Nominee Bob Stefanowski.
"They can't run on their record," said Rep. Themis Klarides, (R-Derby), looking to become the first female Republican Speaker of the House. "We can run on ours," she said, before Stefanowski took the stage.
Stefanowki is a political newcomer, a former corporate executive with the likes of General Electric and UBS, as well as a payday loan company. He found himself with the attention of the entire Connecticut Republican establishment in Wallingford.
He warned of what the future may look like before the 400 or so in attendance.
“We’re going to have four more years of higher taxes, big government, out of control spending, tolls on the road, and another four years of misery, we simply cannot afford it," Stefanowski told the crowd. He urged for Republican support up and down the ballot.
Democrat Ned Lamont, who has led in all but one poll in the lead up to the election, struck a more measured tone during a press conference steps from the Connecticut State Capitol Sunday afternoon.
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He warned that if Democrats do not hold on to the governor's office, then the politics of Washington and Donald Trump will creep into Connecticut.
“I know how to fix what’s wrong here in Connecticut but not at the expense of protecting what’s right and that’s our values, investing in our future and investing in our kids," he said. Lamont, a former cable television executive who has never held statewide office, said electing Stefanowski would be like electing Donald Trump.
“When it comes women’s rights, and gay rights, and civil rights, and Bob Stefanowski says, ‘it’s settled law.’ Well, there’s no settled law in the age of Trump.”
Petitioning candidate Oz Griebel, who has seen his numbers in the polls diminish slightly, says he expects to not just play the role of spoiler on Tuesday, but be a real factor.
Griebel said during a retail politics visit to Bruegger's Bagels in West Hartford, "Whatever we need to win on Tuesday, I’m convinced we’re going to have that number of votes.”
He urged voters to vote for the best candidate they think can solve the state's problems and to ignore the political rhetoric coming from both major party candidates.
“Grow the proverbial spine, and vote for the best ticket and move Connecticut forward based on what’s best for taxpayers, residents, and employers, not who’s in charge at the State House.”
