Locked In Dead Heat Race, Connecticut Gov. Malloy Calls In Unpopular Obama

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- There is a ferocious fight taking place in the Connecticut governor's race between the same two men who went at it four years ago.

It was an indication of just how tight the race is. Gov. Dannel Malloy was campaigning Tuesday at a Bridgeport senior center with Puerto Rican Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla, CBS 2's Marcia Kramer reported.

"Hispanics represent somewhere between 18 and 20 percent of our population, but they only represent about 6 percent of the vote. I want that to be 8 percent of the vote on Tuesday," Malloy said.

It's an understatement to say that every vote counts as Malloy seeks to keep his job in a rematch with Republican Tom Foley. Four years ago, Malloy became Connecticut's first Democratic governor since 1986, by a margin of about 6,000 votes.

A CBS/New York Times Internet poll on Monday had the race tied – 40 percent for Malloy, 40 percent for Foley and 3 percent for independent Joe Visconti.

Foley got a big reception at a restaurant in West Brook, a shore community represented by a Hispanic in the state senate, Art Lenaris.

"Make sure that Art gets re-elected," Foley told the crowd.

It has been a nasty race. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is spending $1.7 million to praise Malloy's anti-gun stance and attack Foley.

Foley has also gone negative against his opponent in ads. He told Kramer that Malloy should be defeated because he raised taxes and hurt the economy.

"The tax increase was a bad policy decision. It has hurt people in Connecticut, slowed down the economy. It has cost us jobs," Foley said.

Malloy was also talking taxes – as in Foley's personal income taxes.

"This is a guy who hasn't paid income tax, although he's worth tens of millions of dollars. He hasn't paid income taxes in three years," Malloy charged.

If you are looking for more of an indication of just how close this race is, Gov. Malloy has invited President Barack Obama to come to Connecticut to campaign for him in the hopes of mobilizing the urban vote.

With his popularity at an all-time low, the president has gotten few invitations to campaign this election season, Kramer reported.

First lady Michelle Obama will be in Connecticut to campaign on Thursday. President Obama will follow on Sunday, Kramer reported.

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