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NORWALK, Conn. With only a few days until Election Day, Mayor Richard Moccia and Democratic challenger Andy Garfunkel have differing reactions to the impending vote.
"I feel great," Garfunkel said Tuesday. "Our volunteers are here working; they're out on the streets dropping literature. A lot of people making phone calls, and the campaign is going good."
But Moccia, who likes to say he is "confident but not cocky," has a concern. "My biggest concern with this election is apathy." He is worried that his supporters will think he's a shoe-in, because Garfunkel's campaign has been quiet.
"If I get my vote out, I'll win," Moccia said. "If he does a better job getting the base out and my people think, you know, there's not much of a campaign out there and they think I'm a lock and they don't vote, then it can be a problem."
Garfunkel said voter turnout is "always a concern. But we'll be trying to get all of our people out to the polls." He and other candidates have been getting up early every day to greet commuters at the train stations. He said he has been talking about the issues and reminding them that Election Day is coming up.
"We have a great team, everybody pitching in at this point as we're getting close," Garfunkel said. "The unions have stepped up, sent us some good volunteers."
Garfunkel has received the endorsement of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 2405, which represents employees of the Department of Public Works.
Moccia says residents understand the issues and the performance of his administration. His problem is convincing his supporters that there is a campaign.
"I feel that people understand, there hasn't been an outpouring of rejection for me," he said. "But do we get the apathy: 'Well, he's going to win, we're going to stay home.' That's what I've got to overcome. That's why I'll be out campaigning."
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