Allan Appel Photo
Malloy with canvassers at Whalley Avenue headquarters.
Democrat Dan Malloy roused his army of canvassers before they hit the street, and Republican Tom Foley snagged an unexpected Democratic endorsement, as the too-close-to-call governor’s race landed in New Haven at the start of the final crucial weekend of campaigning.
Offering encouragement and talking points to Magdalena Torres (left in photo) and some 55 other canvassers, including at least a dozen from District 1199 of the health care workers union, Malloy spoke to the troops at their staging area at 119 Whalley Ave.: “We got to turn out New Haven big time. Every door you knock on, every person you see, [tell them] that guy [Tom Foley] is not good for New Haven. I am. We have not had a governor good for cities in 50 years.”
Malloy called the foot troops key to the get out the vote not only for New Haven’s 21,000 or so Democrats but statewide. He said at least 1,000 volunteers are walking the sidewalks of the state’s cities this weekend. His field coordinator in New Haven, Lisa Hopkins, said 15 trucks with speakers atop them went out, each accompanied by four to five canvassers with bags of those beloved flyers. The target: every ward in New Haven.
Meanwhile Saturday, across town at the Greek Olive restaurant on Sargent Drive, longtime Democratic fundraiser Carl Feen of New Haven threw his support to Tom Foley.
Foley’s staff said that while the candidate was going to be stopping at diners to press the flesh up and down the I‑95 corridor this weekend, most of the campaign’s final efforts focused on the phones.
Feen (at left) with Foley at the Greek Olive.
At the Greek Olive, Foley found an unusual endorsement. Feen — a supporter of Malloy’s Democratic primary opponent, Ned Lamont, and a parade of Democratic candidates over the years — said this is the first time he has ever backed a Republican.
“I don’t dislike Dan, but Tom is ten feet taller than Dan – more capable. An outsider who will bring about change, not an insider with commitments,” he said, after Foley’s bus pulled up and the two men slid into the booth for a chat.
Feen said Foley’s business acumen and a moderate’s ability to reach across the aisle were deciding factors after Lamont, whom he had supported, lost in this year’s primary.
Feen said his gesture at this stage of the campaign was largely symbolic. There was no money involved in the support being offered. He added that he will continue to support Democratic U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Dick Blumenthal in their races.
Told of the endorsement, Dan Malloy said, “Hey, anyone is entitled to support anyone they want. I have lots of Republican supporters.”
He said he thought there was “no significance to Carl’s endorsement.” Nevertheless, his campaign issued this blistering press release about the endorsement, criticizing Feen as the “consummate insider” in Connecticut politics and business.
Foley’s staff ordered the candidate his regular turkey and Swiss wrap at the Greek Olive. It could not be determined what Feen ordered, if anything.