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Joe Visconti plans to see gubernatorial race through to the end

HARTFORD–The heat is on for Joe Visconti, the independent candidate for governor. Despite repeated calls for him to drop out of the challenge, he is stand...

HARTFORD--The heat is on for Joe Visconti, the independent candidate for governor.

Despite repeated calls for him to drop out of the challenge, he is standing strong. "I am in the race until the end," said Visconti.

Last week's Quinnipiac University poll shows the race in a virtual dead heat between Gov. Dan Malloy and Republican candidate Tom Foley. Visconti was still pulling nine percent in that poll.

His critics say he is an election spoiler, a claim he disagrees with.

"A spoiler is someone who is doing it to try to spoil,” said Visconti. “We have a chance to win in a three-way race."

Recently, Visconti has found himself under attack. Shirtless photos from his Facebook page were sent to the press, but he says one was taken after a day at the beach, and the other while playing around the Christmas tree with his family. "It makes you wonder why good people don't run for office, this is what you can expect," said Visconti. "It's sad that campaigns have to be reduced to this nonsense."

One week before the election, the Connecticut Citizens Defense League is trying to rally their base in an effort to unseat Gov. Malloy.

The group is not backing Visconti, despite the fact he touts himself as a second amendment rights advocate, but leaders also aren't calling for him to drop out. Instead, they are urging their supporters to vote for Foley. Scott Wilson, the president of the CCDL, said that casting a vote for Visconti is like casting two votes for Malloy.

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