These ads which both candidates have criticized or repudiated nevertheless, have added an element of Karl Rove-style backstabbing and that is hardly what Westporters expected in this campaign. The fact that they have occupied space and time in the media heightens the prospect of a down-to-the-wire battle that could go either way. Shays, for all of his 19 years of experience, has found himself in the awkward position of being a Republican who supports the president on the Iraq war but, at the same time, has criticized him on the conduct of the war.

Two outrageous mailer ads, in particular, attacking Farrell from the national GOP were especially repugnant. But it was not until last Sunday night at Temple Israel in Westport in their latest four-way debate, that Shays fully admitted that he, too, was offended and that, "They hurt me more than they hurt Diane. You all know I would not approve them." Farrell waved them high in the air several times to make her point.

Two years ago, in a similar battle between incumbent Republican Chris Shays and Democratic challenger Diane Farrell, a former Westport first selectwoman, Farrell won Westport in a cliffhanger by only 302 votes 7,476 to 7,174. Shays actually topped Farrell in the voting booth tally here by 6,370 to 6,364. But Farrell took Westport by winning the absentee ballots by a 2-1 margin, thus carrying the day.

This time around, Westport's 16,554 registered voters will have a choice of Shays, Farrell, Libertarian Party candidate Phil Maymin and Green Party candidate Richard Z. Duffee, thus complicating the outcome. Both Maymin and Duffee have added fresh, articulate viewpoints to the series of debates thus far.

Westport's registered voters line up as follows: 6,064 Unaffiliated, 5,437 Democrats and 5,035 Republicans. Thus, it would appear that the Unaffiliated or "swing" voters, plus the voters who support Maymin or Duffee, hold the key to the outcome. It's anybody's guess who will prevail.

With a bold prediction last week that he will win Westport on Election Day, Shays has set himself up for either a huge victory or a huge defeat. It reminds me of the New York Jets' legendary quarterback, Joe Namath, who guaranteed in advance that his team would beat the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl in 1968.

Indeed, they did, 16-7, making that victory all the more memorable.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Shays is fighting for his political life. Ever since he succeeded the popular Congressman, Stew McKinney, after his untimely death in 1987, Shays has had only token opposition in all of his elections with the exception of the 2004 contest against Farrell, who lost 52-48 percent, the closest any opponent has come to him.

It is worth noting that the 2004 election set an all-time record turnout for Westport with 87.5 percent of all eligible voters casting ballots. Previously, the record here was 86.6 percent turnout in 2000, another presidential election year. This figure was tops in the State of Connecticut, resulting in The Town of Westport receiving the annual award 'For Best Voter Turnout "presented by the East Haddam Civic Association.

The series of 11 debates between the candidates for this critical seat currently seen as a toss up by the Democrats in Washington, at least have been increasingly confrontational, leaving supporters of both candidates wondering whatever happened to the ordinarily soft-spoken Shays and the engaging, upbeat Farrell they know so well.

The consensus seems to be that this time they are playing "hardball" and almost anything goes. Shays and Farrell are going at one another with a vengeance.

That's one good reason that this contest should attract another record turnout. People feel so strongly about so many national issues not to mention Congress itself that every vote in this upcoming contest counts more than ever. Anyone who sits this one out will be making a big mistake. The outcome will affect whether or not the House will remain in Republican hands.

In terms of turnout, Westport has an outstanding record in this arena. Just look at the numbers: We have gone from a voter turnout of 43.6 percent in 1995 to 85.6 percent in 2000, to 87.5 percent in 2004, the latter two being presidential election years, of course. While this is not a Presidential election year, it is entirely possible that with feelings running so high, a new record could be set.

Westport is in the eye of this political storm and its citizens have a civic obligation as never before to go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

[Columnist's Note: I am grateful to

Nita Cohen, Democratic Registrar of Voters; Judy Raines, Republican Registrar of Voters; and to Linnea Vornkahl, assistant registrar, at Westport Town Hall for their assistance in compiling the statistics used in this commentary.]

Woody Klein's "Out of the Woods" column appears regularly in the Westport News.