TPMDC Rob Simmons: October 2009
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.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (3) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: CT-SEN, Linda McMahon, Rob Simmons
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.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (25) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: CT-SEN, Rob Simmons, Senate '10
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