Independent candidate for governor Joe Visconti on Sunday withdrew from the race and threw his support to Republican challenger Tom Foley, according to multiple published reports.
The endorsement comes only two days before polls open in the battle between Foley and Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and unifies the Republican ticket.
Speaking during an event in Brookfield, Visconti asked all of his supporters to vote for Foley on Tuesday, saying “he’s just the man” for Connecticut.
The endorsement could impact the race considering the latest Quinnipiac Poll shows Foley in a dead heat with Malloy at 43 percent and Visconti pulling 7 percent. Polling shows Visconti taking equally from Foley and Malloy but many believe his staying in the race still could have hurt Foley on Election Day.
The announcement also came on the day President Barrack Obama is scheduled to visit Bridgeport to stump for Malloy in an effort to ramp up turnout in the state’s largest city.