Visconti: I’m in the governor’s race until the bitter end

Connecticut Gubernatorial candidates, from left, Independent Joe Visconti, Gov. Dannel Malloy, and Republican Tom Foley actively discuss multiple topics during the gubernatorial debate at the Garde Arts Center in New London, Conn., Thursday Oct. 16, 2014.(AP Photo/The Day, Tim Cook)

Connecticut Gubernatorial candidates, from left, Independent Joe Visconti, Gov. Dannel Malloy, and Republican Tom Foley actively discuss multiple topics during the gubernatorial debate at the Garde Arts Center in New London, Conn., Thursday Oct. 16, 2014.(AP Photo/The Day, Tim Cook)

There will be no exit to stage right for Joe Visconti, the pro-gun thespian who is running as a petition candidate for governor.

Contrary to speculation that he is working on a back-room deal to endorse Republican Tom Foley, whose supporters have been pressuring him to get out of the race, Visconti said Tuesday that he’s in it until the bitter end.

“We’re going all the way,” Visconti told Hearst Connecticut Media Tuesday. “We’re not getting out of the race.”

A former West Hartford town councilman who ran unsuccessfully for Congress, Visconti said that he owes it to the 10,000 people who signed his petition to get onto the general election ballot. Visconti finished fifth out of five candidates during the balloting during the state GOP convention in May, with 1.8 percent of the vote.

“There’s been a lot of pressure from a lot of people applied toward me,” Visconti said. “Many of them have come and said, ‘We don’t think Tom’s going (to win) and we’re in a quagmire.’ ”

Visconti, who mustered 9 percent in a recent Quinnipiac University poll, is scheduled to debate Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy Thursday night on NBC Connecticut without Foley. Foley’s campaign, which is said by multiple sources to object to Visconti’s participation, is at an impasse with the network over its debate terms.

“I’m in the race because of all of the shortcomings of Tom Foley,” Visconti said. “How would you get (my supporters) to vote for Tom? He’s done a horrible job. He’s not shown us anything. I can’t tell you how Tom would govern.”

Foley’s campaign declined to comment about Visconti.

Neil Vigdor