Murphy Makes One Last Stop in Manchester Before Election Day

U.S. Congressman Chris Murphy, a Democratic in a heated race with Republican Linda McMahon to claim the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Joseph Lieberman, made one final stop in Manchester on the eve of Election Day late Monday afternoon. 

Murphy, who popped into Manchester Democratic Headquarters on Main Street for a brief rally and to shake a few hands, said he reserved Manchester for one of his last stops in the campaign because the Manchester Democratic Town Committee was the first in the state to officially endorse his candidacy while he was in a tight primary fight with Susan Bysiewicz and several other Democratic candidates. 

"It was the Manchester Town Committee which stood by me very early on," Murphy said. "Which sent a huge signal throughout the region and the state that we were serious." 

Murphy, who noted he had already made about 15 stops across the sate Monday and had about another 15 planned for Election Day, said returning to Manchester was a "special way" for him to end the race. 

"I think it's very good Karma to end it here," Murphy said. "I've had very good support from Manchester Democrats, and I wanted to come out here and say thank you." 

Although a recent poll by Public Policy Polling showed Murphy with a nine point edge over McMahon, Murphy said it was important during the final hours of the campaign for his supporters to get out there, shake hands and knock on doors, and personally encourage any potential voters they know who still might be on the fence to support him over McMahon. 

"Linda McMahon is going to do anything and say anything over the next 30 hours to try and steal this race," Murphy said. 

A McMahon spokesman downplayed Murphy's supposed lead in the poll as a "desperate stunt"noting that Public Policy Polling is "nothing more than a front for the Democrats." 

"This is a sad stunt. Our supporters won’t be deterred by the Democrats’ desperation," the McMahon spokesman said according to the blog Capitol Watch.

Shortly after Murphy left Democratic headquarters Monday afternoon, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal also stop by to greet supporters. 

Blumenthal, who defeated McMahon in the 2010 U.S. Senate race, said that even though he is not up for reelection for another four years he was busy traveling the state Monday to support other Democratic candidates. 

"I care about all the candidates that are on the ballot," Blumenthal said. "I'm helping them just as they helped me."

Having beating McMahon himself in a Senate race, Blumenthal said he thought Murphy's chances against the former wrestling executive were strong on Tuesday. 

"I think she has mounted the same negative attack machine filled with lies and deceit," that she did against me, Blumenthal said. "The people of Connecticut are seeing through it."