CT-SEN

Linda McMahon Wins CT-SEN Republican Primary

Eric Kleefeld | August 10, 2010, 10:00PM

Connecticut Republican Senate nominee Linda McMahon.

Former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon has won the Republican nomination for Senate in Connecticut, and will now face Democratic state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd.

With 53% of precincts reports, McMahon has 49%, former Congressman Rob Simmons 29%, and financial commentator Peter Schiff 22%. McMahon has been projected as the winner by the Associated Press. Headed into the general election, the TPM Poll Average shows Blumenthal leading McMahon by 51.4%-39.6%.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Bringing The Smackdown: Linda McMahon's Campaign For Senate, And Her Colorful Pro-Wrestling Past]

This has been a crazy primary. Simmons began as the early favorite, but McMahon's heavy self-financing helped her win the state party convention's endorsement in May. Simmons then suspended his campaign, seeming to drop out -- only to get back in about three weeks ago with TV ads and a free-media blitz on talk shows and the local press, touting his credentials and slamming McMahon for buying the election. Interestingly, he then picked up the endorsements of many major newspapers throughout the state -- but it clearly wasn't enough.

Full coverage of the race here.

CT-SEN

Simmons On McMahon: 'The Only Thing She's Got Is A Checkbook' (AUDIO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 10, 2010, 10:42AM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT)

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT), who is running in today's Connecticut Republican Senate primary, appeared yesterday on Laura Ingraham's radio show -- where the two sharply criticized the national Republican Party for favoring self-funding candidates like former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Bringing The Smackdown: Linda McMahon's Campaign For Senate, And Her Colorful Pro-Wrestling Past]

Simmons, who dramatically re-entered the primary in the home stretch, talked about how he polls just as well as McMahon against the presumptive Democratic nominee, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, despite all the money that McMahon has put into the race. Ingraham then asked whether national party committees are favoring self-funders who would make their own jobs easier.

Simmons agreed. "And that has been the topic of some national news stories within the last few weeks, that they have focused very much on self-funders because their own fundraising has not been as aggressive or as successful as it should be," said Simmons. "I think that's a damn shame. If you look at the polls, I am very competitive against Richard Blumenthal, and I"m the kind of guy that can take him on at every level. I can take him on in debates on the issues, on serving in Vietnam. She can't. The only thing she's got is a checkbook."

Read more »

CT-SEN

Quinnipiac Poll: McMahon Leads By 22 In GOP's CT-SEN Primary

Thomas Rhiel | August 9, 2010, 9:18AM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Republican CT Senate Candidate Linda McMahon.

A new Quinnipiac poll shows Linda McMahon -- the former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO -- maintaining her considerable lead over former Rep. Rob Simmons and financial commentator Peter Schiff going into tomorrow's Connecticut Republican Senate primary. The poll gives McMahon 50%, Simmons 28%, and Schiff 15%.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Bringing The Smackdown: Linda McMahon's Campaign For Senate, And Her Colorful Pro-Wrestling Past]

McMahon's 22-point lead in the latest poll is bigger than her 17-point lead in last week's Quinnipiac survey, although the difference is just outside the poll's ±3.8-point margin of error. Quinnipiac, in fact, is the only public pollster to have looked at this race so far, and their numbers have been more or less consistent since June. McMahon has been polling between 45% and 52%, Simmons between 25% and 30%, and Schiff between 13% and 15%.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Rob Simmons: Women In McMahon Ad 'Airheads,' WWE Content 'Not Funny' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 5, 2010, 6:40PM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Republican CT Senate Candidate Linda McMahon.

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) fired back today at a recent ad by his opponent in the Connecticut Senate GOP primary, former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, by blasting the indecency of WWE's programming.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Bringing The Smackdown: Linda McMahon's Campaign For Senate, And Her Colorful Pro-Wrestling Past]

During an appearance on Hardball, Chris Matthews asked Simmons about McMahon's ad, which shows two women talking to each other in a car, and concluding that WWE was a "soap opera" and that McMahon was a strong businesswoman who could shake up Washington.

"Well I think it makes those two women look a little bit like airheads," said Simmons. "Look, I'm like you. Back in the days when I was a kid, I saw Haystack Calhoun wrestle in New London. It was a lot of fun, it was a carnival show. But when you see a Down syndrome wrestler being beat up and abused, and his head being pushed in the toilet by Mrs. McMahon's husband and son, that's not funny. And that ad simply ridicules some of the ugly behaviors that they've promoted as soap opera. It's not soap opera. It's ugly, it shouldn't be marketed to our children."

The Republican primary will be held this Tuesday, August 10. The TPM Poll Average shows McMahon ahead with 48.9%, followed by Simmons at 28.7%, and financial commentator Peter Schiff with 13.9%.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Did Dodd Retire Too Soon? Race To Replace Him Full Of Failed And Fumbling Candidates

Eric Kleefeld | August 5, 2010, 8:59AM

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

You have to wonder whether Chris Dodd ought to be having second thoughts about not being a candidate in Connecticut's crazy Senate race -- or whether he's breathing a sigh of relief that he chose to sit this wild ride out.

It's been a long and strange road in this race. An embattled Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd's retirement made way for a stronger nominee in state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal -- who has himself become embattled due to his own scandals, and is still leading the disorganized GOP opposition.

Back in December of last year, Dodd was flailing in the polls as a result of his position as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee during the financial crisis, and questions about mortgage deals he had received. Even Vice President Biden, a close friend of Dodd's, said with his trademark candor that Dodd was getting "the living bejesus" beaten out of him.

Dodd's reelection prospects looked bleak. So he announced his retirement in January. A Public Policy Polling (D) survey that was conducted just before his announcement, and released right afterward, showed Dodd trailing the Republican candidates, former Rep. Rob Simmons and former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, but Blumenthal leading them handsomely.

Then things got really crazy.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Quinnipiac Poll: McMahon Gains On Blumenthal And Simmons Gains On McMahon In CT-SEN

Thomas Rhiel | August 4, 2010, 9:22AM

CT-SEN candidates Richard Blumenthal (D) and Linda McMahon (R)

Quinnipiac released new numbers from the Connecticut Senate race this morning, and they show Linda McMahon, the former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO and the frontrunner in the GOP primary, gaining on Democratic state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. Meanwhile, support for former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) -- who seemingly dropped out of the race only to re-enter it -- is picking up support in the Republican primary.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Simmons Ad Jabs At McMahon: Election Should Be Earned -- Not Bought (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 2, 2010, 11:29AM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT)

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) has a new ad in his bid for the Republican nomination for Senate --  a race that he dramatically re-entered over the last two weeks, after he'd previously suspended his campaign in late May.

The announcer takes a barely-veiled shot at Linda McMahon, the former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO and self-financing frontrunner for the nomination: "Lest we forget, service defines us. Service protects us, it heals us, it inspires us. Service is selfless, it's compassionate, it's human, it's American. And the right to serve is earned -- it's not bought, it's not entered into on a whim. Lest we forget, service is what we ask of our leaders. And service is the yardstick by which we measure them."

As The Day of New London reports, the Simmons campaign is spending $250,000 on the ad.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Rob Simmons Finally Says It: 'I Am Running For The United States Senate' (Again)

Eric Kleefeld | July 28, 2010, 10:01AM

CT-SEN candidate Rob Simmons (R)

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) boldly declared Tuesday night that he is officially back and running in the Connecticut Senate race -- though on the other hand, he also joked that he should have edited that statement.

Simmons, who suspended his campaign for the Republican nomination in late May but has recently gone back on the air -- with an ad reminding voters, as he likes to say, that he's "still on the ballot" -- showed up last night for a debate with another candidate, financial commentator Peter Schiff. The frontrunner for the Republican nomination, former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, was not present.

"I'm Rob Simmons. I am running for the United States Senate, because I love my country, and I don't like where it's going," said Simmons. As the Connecticut Mirror reports: "But Simmons was playful after the debate concerning his status: 'I should have edited that old opening statement.'"

The Republican primary will be held on August 10. The TPM Poll Average for the primary shows McMahon with a lead of 43.4%-29.6% over Simmons, plus 10.0% for Schiff. In the general election, McMahon trails Democratic state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal by 52.5%-38.8%, and Simmons trails Blumenthal by 52.7%-35.7%.

CT-SEN

Rob Simmons To TPMDC: 'There's Been No Change, I'm On The Ballot'

Eric Kleefeld | July 23, 2010, 8:54AM

CT GOP primary candidates for US Senate: Peter Schiff, Rob Simmons, Linda McMahon.

So what's going on with former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT)? The former Congressman suspended his campaign for Senate in late May after he lost the state Republican convention vote to former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon. But now he's back on TV with a $350,000 ad buy, telling voters in the August 10 Republican primary that he's still on the ballot and they do still have a choice.

In an interview with TPMDC, Simmons shied away from saying he was back in the race -- or that he was ever out of it at all, instead saying that he had "scaled back" his campaign. Simmons told TPMDC in a phone interview last night that everywhere he goes, people have told him that he's still their preferred candidate. Plus, he noted, "I'm just as competitive against Richard Blumenthal as Mrs. McMahon, and she's spent a ton of money."

Simmons told us that if McMahon were to win the primary, he would certainly support her as the endorsed Republican candidate in November. He also told us that he could potentially continue to spend more money from his war chest for further TV advertising before the primary. (He had $1.2 million cash on hand in his pre-convention report, covering the period up through May 1.) "Whether we spend it all remains to be seen," said Simmons. "I'm a fiscal conservative. I'm not convinced we're gonna spend it all."

So what changed, I asked? Is he back in the race? "It's correct to say that I've been on the ballot since the convention and everybody knows that," Simmons told me. "So in that regard there's been no change, I'm on the ballot. In the intervening months since the convention I scaled back my campaign to give the other candidates time to pursue their campaigns. But there's been no debates, nothing, and recent polls have shown that nothing has moved at all. I'm just as competitive against Richard Blumenthal as Mrs. McMahon, and she's spent a ton of money."

Read more »

CT-SEN

Rob Simmons's New Ad: 'I'm Still On The Ballot' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | July 22, 2010, 5:09PM

A new ad from Senate candidate Rob Simmons (R-CT).

Here is the new ad in the Connecticut Senate race from former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT), who suspended his campaign in late May but is suddenly showing a new interest in the August 10 primary.

"Today, it's important to vote with your heart and your head," Simmons says, speaking to the camera. "Bailouts and tax increases have crippled the economy and cost us jobs. Small business is our backbone. Let's help them. National security must remain strong. Put your trust in the candidate who is and will be an advocate for veterans. These issues will have a lasting effect on our children. In the Republican primary on August 10th, you do have a choice. I'm Rob Simmons, I'm still on the ballot, and I approved this message."

Read more »

CT-SEN

Rob Simmons Running Ads In CT-SEN Race He Supposedly Quit

Ben Frumin | July 21, 2010, 5:15PM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Republican CT Senate Candidate Linda McMahon.

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) will begin running TV ads in the Connecticut Senate race that he seemingly quit in May -- fueling speculation that he never really quit at all.

Last week Simmons said that he hasn't made any "final decisions." He still has $1 million in the bank, and his name remains on the primary ballot. In late June, former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO and Republican frontrunner Linda McMahon publicly accused Simmons of continuing to run a stealth campaign against her.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Quinnipiac Poll: Blumenthal Leads McMahon By 17 Points

Eric Kleefeld | July 16, 2010, 9:35AM

CT-SEN candidates Richard Blumenthal (D) and Linda McMahon (R)

The new Quinnipiac poll of the Connecticut Senate race shows Democratic state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal continuing to enjoy a hefty lead over Republican former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon.

The numbers: Blumenthal 54%, McMahon 37%. The survey of registered voters has a ±2.7% margin of error. This is not significantly different from the last poll in early June, which put Blumenthal ahead by 55%-35%. The TPM Poll Average gives Blumenthal a lead over McMahon of 52.3%-38.1%.

"Linda McMahon's biggest problem with voters is that only 38 percent think she has the right kind of experience to be a U.S. Senator, which tracks very closely with the percentage of the vote she gets against Blumenthal," writes Quinnipiac polling director Douglas Schwartz. "She has improved her experience number slightly, but she must do more to convince Connecticut voters that her background as an executive in professional wrestling is the right kind of experience."

Read more »

CT-SEN

Simmons Flirts With Re-Entering Connecticut GOP Senate Primary Against McMahon

Eric Kleefeld | July 15, 2010, 11:12AM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Republican CT Senate Candidate Linda McMahon.

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT), who seemingly quit the Republican primary for Senate back in late May after he lost the state party convention's endorsement against former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, is now making noise about getting back in.

"I haven't made any final decisions," Simmons told the Hartford Courant. "I'm getting a lot of phone calls from people. Six weeks ago the convention was over and I was very disappointed. My staff was despondent. My family was stunned." He also added: "I've been sitting on it now. People do come up to me, say, 'Gosh I wish you were still in.'"

Simmons still has $1 million in the bank, and his name remains on the primary ballot. In late June, McMahon publicly accused Simmons of continuing to run a stealth campaign against her. The primary will be held on August 10. The TPM Poll Average for the general election shows McMahon trailing the presumptive Democratic nominee, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, by a margin of 52.7%-37.6%, despite Blumenthal's scandal involving past misstatements about his military record.

CT-SEN

Peter Schiff Qualifies For CT-SEN Republican Primary Ballot

Jillian Rayfield | June 21, 2010, 12:56PM

CT Sen. candidate Peter Schiff (R)

Peter Schiff, a tea party favorite campaigning for Chris Dodd's Connecticut senate seat, has collected enough signatures to qualify for a spot on the Republican primary ballot.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Simmons Apologizes For Saying McMahon Can't Win

Rachel Slajda | May 27, 2010, 10:07AM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Republican CT Senate Candidate Linda McMahon.

Erstwhile Senate candidate Rob Simmons has apologized for telling a reporter that the presumptive Republican candidate, Linda McMahon, can't win against Richard Blumenthal.

Yesterday, Simmons told National Review Online that he didn't think McMahon would win. The NRO also reported that Simmons said he would tell McMahon he was "preoccupied" if she asked him to campaign for her.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Simmons: McMahon Can't Win Senate Race

Rachel Slajda | May 26, 2010, 6:41PM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Republican CT Senate Candidate Linda McMahon.

Former Rep. Rob Simmons dropped out of the Republican primary for Chris Dodd's Senate seat this week -- but he's not about to throw his support behind the presumptive GOP candidate.

Simmons told National Review Online today that he doesn't think Linda McMahon can win.

"No, I don't think so at all," he said. And he's not looking to stump for her, either:

Read more »

CT-SEN

GOPer Simmons Makes It Official, Quits Connecticut Senate Race

Eric Kleefeld | May 25, 2010, 10:20AM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT)

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) officially announced this morning that he was ending his campaign for Senate, after he lost the state party's endorsement to former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon at the state GOP convention this past weekend.

"This is not an easy decision," Simmons said at a press conference. "This is not a happy decision. But I believe it's the right decision."

Officially, Simmons is not dropping out -- he is releasing his campaign staff and ending his campaign activities, but his name will remain on the ballot in the Republican primary. This is a common practice for candidates who effectively drop out of a race, but maintain a minimal campaign as a legal entity in order to raise money to cover debts.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Report: GOPer Simmons Not Ready To Rumble Against McMahon

Eric Kleefeld | May 25, 2010, 8:52AM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Republican CT Senate Candidate Linda McMahon.

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) is set to announce today that he is dropping out of the Republican Senate primary, the Hartford Courant reports, making way for former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon in the wake of her endorsement by the state party convention this past weekend.

Simmons began the race for the GOP nomination as the clear frontrunner in opinion polling, but over time he fell behind McMahon and her personal spending on the race -- she has said she could spend as much as $50 million over the course of the race.

Simmons was first elected to the House in 2000, defeating a Democratic incumbent. He was defeated by in 2006 by Democrat Joe Courtney, by the paper-thin margin of just 83 votes out of 242,000 cast.

CT-SEN

CT GOP Nominates McMahon Over Simmons

Rachel Slajda | May 24, 2010, 6:33PM

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Republican CT Senate Candidate Linda McMahon.

Just days after Connecticut Republicans found their first opening against Democratic Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal, an admission that he had misrepresented his military record, they passed over their own Bronze Star-decorated veteran to nominate World Wrestling Executive Linda McMahon.

McMahon beat her Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, for the party endorsement at its convention this weekend. Simmons, however, got enough votes to force a primary and vowed to do so.

Blumenthal last week admitted to sometimes misrepresenting his military service, going so far as to say he served in Vietnam. Although he served in the Marine Corps Reserves during the war, he was never deployed overseas.

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CT-SEN

GOP Candidate Simmons Seeks To Gain Off Blumenthal's Vietnam Scandal

Rachel Slajda | May 19, 2010, 11:22AM

CT-SEN candidate Rob Simmons (R)

Until Monday, Rob Simmons was, arguably, a long shot for Chris Dodd's Senate seat. The Republican was trailing wealthy executive Linda McMahon for the GOP nod, and was behind uber-popular Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D) by more than 20 points.

Then Blumenthal was outed for saying he had served in Vietnam when he never had.

Simmons, a Vietnam War veteran with two Bronze Stars, has gone full court press on the attorney general's scandal. He's running fund-raising ads, holdings press conferences and blasting out videos and press releases touting his own military service.

Read more »

Richard Blumenthal

Another Poll Shows Blumenthal Way Ahead For Dodd's Senate Seat

Eric Kleefeld | January 7, 2010, 1:53PM

CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D)

The new Rasmussen poll of Connecticut, conducted last night in the wake of Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd's retirement announcement, confirms that Democratic state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is now the heavy favorite to keep the seat for the party.

Blumenthal leads former Rep. Rob Simmons by 56%-33%; Blumenthal leads former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon by 58%-34%; and Blumenthal leads financial analyst Peter Schiff by 60%-24%. These results are fairly similar to yesterday's numbers from Public Policy Polling (D), which was conducted just before the news of Dodd's retirement and Blumenthal's entry into the race.

Dodd had been performing badly in previous Rasmussen polls. From the pollster's analysis: "With a single announcement, Chris Dodd transformed the Senate race in Connecticut from one that leaned in the GOP direction to a fairly safe bet for the Democratic Party."

Richard Blumenthal

Poll: Blumenthal Already Way Ahead Of Connecticut GOP Senate Candidates

Eric Kleefeld | January 6, 2010, 12:30PM

CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D) and Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

There is already a poll out of the Connecticut Senate race, demonstrating that Sen. Chris Dodd's (D-CT) retirement has drastically improved Democratic chances of holding the seat, with state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal holding landslide leads over the Republican candidates.

By a very fortunate coincidence, Public Policy Polling (D) was already in the field with a poll testing both Dodd and Blumenthal as Democratic nominees, in order to determine whether Democrats would do better by dumping the incumbent. The answer is an emphatic yes.

Dodd and Blumenthal were each tested against the three Republican candidates: Former Rep. Rob Simmons, former Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, and financial analyst and Ron Paul activist Peter Schiff. Dodd trailed Simmons by 44%-40%, was tied 43%-43% with McMahon, and led Schiff by 44%-37%. By contrast, Blumenthal leads Simmons by 59%-28%, is ahead of McMahon by 60%-28%, and leads Schiff by 63%-23%.

Read more »

Chris Dodd

Dodd's Retirement Could Improve Dem Chances To Hold Seat

Eric Kleefeld | January 6, 2010, 9:02AM

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

The big news this morning is that Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) is expected to announce at noon today that he is retiring from the Senate. While usually a retirement by an incumbent is bad news for a party, in this case Dodd's retirement almost certainly improves Democratic chances for holding the seat with a stronger candidate.

Connecticut is a Democratic-leaning state, which Barack Obama carried with 61% of the vote in 2008, but Dodd himself had consistently been running badly in the polls against his Republican challengers, largely as a result of the controversial mortgage he received from Countrywide Financial.

A Quinnpiac poll from this past November put Dodd's approval rating at only 40%, with 54% disapproval, compared to a 58%-35% rating for Obama. Dodd also trailed the two main GOP candidates, former Rep. Rob Simmons and former Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon.

The other key factor here is that state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has already announced that he will run, and will officially kick off the campaign with a press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET. Blumenthal was first elected in 1990, and has been easily re-elected ever since. There not been any publicly released polling on the prospect of Blumenthal for Senate -- though as it turns out, Public Policy Polling (D) will be coming out with just such a thing later today, and we'll be sure to pick it up. But here's a key number on Blumenthal: The same round of Quinnipiac polling that gave Dodd such bad numbers in November also showed Blumenthal with an approval rating of 78%-13%.

Late Update: Ned Lamont, the 2006 Democratic nominee for Senate against Joe Lieberman, who is currently exploring a campaign for governor, released this statement:

"For three decades, Chris has been Connecticut's best friend, a powerful defender of the constitution and a tireless advocate for families and children. Chris, Jackie and their family deserve a short break, but I'm sure that there are many more chapters in Chris' life of public service."

"This announcement does not change my own plans. I will continue to explore a run for Governor because I believe the stakes for Connecticut are too high and that we need innovative, entrepreneurial leadership to kickstart our economy, create new jobs, and honestly balance our budget."

Chris Dodd

Dodd Internal Poll: He Can Win!

Eric Kleefeld | December 22, 2009, 4:49PM

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

Sen. Chris Dodd's (D-CT) campaign has released an internal poll, saying that the endangered incumbent's chances for re-election in 2010 aren't so bad as people think.

The poll, conducted by the Democratic firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, has Dodd trailing Republican former Rep. Rob Simmons by 51%-46%, and in a 46%-46% tie with former Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon. That might sound unimpressive for an incumbent, but consider that other recent polls have Dodd behind Simmons by around ten points. Then again, this is an internal poll that the campaign chose to release, so the obvious caveats apply.

"Once voters hear both positive and negative information about all three candidates, Dodd gains ground and leads McMahon by 5 points, 50 to 45 percent, and is in a statistical dead heat with Simmons, 49 to 48 percent," the polling memo says, though it's not immediately clear just what all of these pieces of information were. "Furthermore, voters respond positively to Dodd's work in the Senate, particularly on health care reform, the passage of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act, and Dodd's economic plan to help small businesses and create jobs."

Linda McMahon

Former Pro Wrestler Slams Linda McMahon's Senate Campaign

Eric Kleefeld | November 19, 2009, 1:13PM

Wrestler "Superstar Billy Graham", CT-Sen candidate Linda McMahon (R)

Former Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, a candidate for the Republican nomination to run against Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), is now facing some strong attacks from a Mr. Eldridge Wayne Coleman -- a.k.a. "Superstar Billy Graham," a former pro-wrestler who worked for McMahon.

"She may look like a Sunday school teacher," said Graham, who described himself a conservative, and who supports one of McMahon's GOP rivals, former Rep. Rob Simmons. "Linda McMahon's hands are as bloody as her husband's [Vince McMahon] because she is aware of every move in the ring."

Graham said that the McMahons condoned steroid use that damaged wrestlers' health (including himself), didn't provide health care or pensions to those same wrestlers, and have quickly shifted from all manner of inappropriate TV programming -- ranging from wrestlers being told to cut themselves with razors in order to bleed on stage, to "bra and panty" wrestling matches between scantily-clad female performers -- to cleaner content in the run-up to her campaign.

Read more »

CT-SEN

Simmons Raises $1 Million. Now What?

Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 14, 2009, 5:58PM

Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT)

The race to find a challenger for Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) is going to be an expensive one. Yesterday, former Rep. Rob Simmons (R) announced he raised nearly $1 million in the fundraising quarter ending tomorrow. The same day, Linda McMahon, one of his challengers in the GOP primary, told reporters she's pumped $3 million of her own money into the race -- and spent $2M of it on ads that are already running.

Running in the Nutmeg State is always a pricey prospect -- eventually, candidates have to run TV ads in the ultra-expensive New York City television market. But with McMahon spending so much so early, Simmons will likely need to start putting his own money where is mouth is before he planned. His fundraising total means suggests he's serious about challenging the self-funding McMahon and has the base of support to make a go of it. So look for big spending by him sooner rather than later.

By the time either of these candidates gets to Dodd in the general next year -- a race national Republicans think they can win and so will probably spend party money on -- the Senate race will have already become a serious cash cow for consultants and media buyers.

Rob Simmons

GOP Senate Candidate Rob Simmons Adds Tea Bag To His Constitution

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 2:19PM

Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT)

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT), the national GOP's favored candidate for Senate against Democratic incumbent Chris Dodd in 2010, has departed from his former reputation as a moderate Republican -- he's now become such a devotee of the Tea Party movement, that he's inserted a tea bag inside his pocket Constitution!

"I've made it a habit over the years to carry my Constitution in my pocket as a reminder of what this country and what this country's government is all about," Simmons told a recent event. "But more recently because of the participation of many of you, I've added something to my Constitution. I've added a tea bag."

Simmons seems a bit half-hearted, though -- the tea bag is still inside the wrapper.