Joe Visconti, who petitioned his way onto the ballot in the gubernatorial race, greets Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy at the Brooklyn (Conn.) Fair on Aug. 24, 2104. Contributed photo.
This peacock is standing its ground.
NBC Connecticut plans to go ahead with an Oct. 23 gubernatorial debate, despite being unable to come to terms with Republican Tom Foley.
Foley’s campaign has thus far balked at the invitation of the peacock network, which is at odds with the GOP candidate over the inclusion of pro-gun petitioner Joe Visconti in the debate.
As it stands now, the tea party-aligned Visconti could get to go head-to-head with Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on NBC, which is one of the few media outlets to include the petition candidate.
“It’s a third party candidate’s greatest dream to debate the incumbent governor two weeks before the election without a major party candidate,” Visconti told Hearst Connecticut Media Wednesday. “We’re ecstatic. Thank you, Tom Foley.”
Visconti mustered 9 percent in the latest Quinnipiac University gubernatorial poll, which is nearly double the 5 percent threshold stipulated by NBC for inviting candidates to debate. A number of other media outlets use 10 percent as a threshold, leaving Visconti on the outside looking in.
Foley’s campaign denied that Visconti’s presence was a deal-breaker, but declined to elaborate on its reasons for nixing the NBC debate.
“It’s sort of wrong to infer that,” Mark McNulty, a campaign spokesman for Foley, told Hearst.
McNulty pointed out that Foley is participating with Visconti and Malloy in an Oct. 16 debate sponsored by CPTV, WNPR and The Day newspaper of New London.
NBC has said that it’s invitation to Foley stands.
“We have said that we will be there regardless,” Mark Bergman, a senior campaign adviser to Malloy, told Hearst Wednesday. “We hope Mr. Foley comes to his senses.”