Amid pomp, and pigs, Connecticut politics focuses on New London

missionNEW LONDON — The Garde Arts Center is about 90 minutes away from becoming ground zero in the 2014 gubernatorial election. Now-soaked supporters of Republican Tom Foley won pride of place, occupying the corner fronting the historic Garde Arts Center, right under the upcoming Masters of Illusion marquee. Across the street is the union encampment, their porcine inflatable  and loudspeakers of Malloy supporters. Inside, two State Police canine teams are sniffing around. The CPTV crew has finished constructing the set and testing lights on the three podiums and candidates are arriving for their make-up work prior to the 7 p.m. showdown. And for the first time, petitioning candidate Joe Visconti, the conservative gun-rights construction executive from West Hartford, will join the fray. It is still raining in New London, a city of about 27,500 that Malloy won with 3,320 votes four years ago, to Foley’s 1,502 votes,

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