Photographs By John Murray

Five-term incumbent Mike Jarjura re-energized the Republican Party in Waterbury after he severed his 25 year tie to the Democrat Party in May, and unexpectedly joined the GOP. Jarjura is pictured above during a Sunday afternoon GOP rally at Jarjura Headquarters in the East End of Waterbury. In the photograph, from left to right, is Lynette Piombo, Steve Giacomi, Jarjura, Fred Luedke and Jason Van Stone. The Democrats cancelled their traditional rally to focus on intensive door to door canvasing, and the Independent Party will hold their rally Monday evening at Hopeville Cafe in the South End of the city.

Mayor Jarjura told the Observer he wasn’t surprised the Republican-American newspaper endorsed Neil O’Leary for mayor today, because O’Leary had earned the endorsement by attacking outgoing superintendent of schools, David Snead, harshly criticizing Board of Education president. Pat Hayes, and throwing the firemen “under the bus”. The Mayor went on to say that the endorsement of the city’s daily newspaper no longer held the sway it once did, and had actually become irrelevant to the voters. Jarjura is starting to lose his voice, so he gave a short speech at the rally and attempted to contrast his “statesman” demeanor with O’Leary, who he called ill-tempured and a “bully”. Jarjura said he had tried to run an issue oriented campaign, and was frustrated that O’Leary had gotten nasty.

State Representative Selim Noujaim – no shrinking violet – implored the gathering to approach Tuesday’s election one vote at a time. Noujaim said the GOP can take nothing for granted and that if someone needed a ride to the polls, he would carry them there on Tuesday. Lysa Margiotta is on the far left and George Noujaim is on the far right.

As Noujaim fired up the crowd of aproximatley 200 GOP supporters, members of the Jarjura under-ticket looked on in amusement. From left to right is Victor Merolli, Lysa Margiotta, Lynette Piombo, Carlo Palladino, Steve Giacomi and Joanne D’Amelio.

U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon was in the house.

State Representative Tony D’Amelio told the gathering that Mike Jarjura deserved to be returned to office because of the remarkable job he performed stabilizing Waterbury’s finances. D’Amelio said “The other guy is a wreck. Look at the character of the two men. Who do we go with? Mike.”