Remember when ex-Rep. Rob Simmons was touted as the GOP’s Dodd-slayer? Let’s pour one on the ground for that sumbitch:
Republican Rob Simmons, the one-time frontrunner for U.S. Senate, announced this morning that he is ending his campaign after losing his party’s nomination to multimillionaire Linda McMahon.
“This is not an easy decision,” Simmons said this morning at a press conference. “This is not a happy decision. But I believe it’s the right decision.”
Simmons is releasing his campaign staff and curtailing fundraising efforts, but his name will remain on the primary ballot. He did not say whether he would endorse McMahon or vote for her in November.
“Speaking for myself and my family, however, we understand the mathematical reality of competing against an opponent with unlimited financial resources who has already invested … $16.5 million in this campaign.”
This now leaves the Republican Senate nomination in the hands of Linda McMahon and Paulist weirdo Peter Schiff, whose existence is barely remembered at all these days. I’m still pretty amazed that Simmons didn’t see the writing on the wall earlier and accepted a demotion to a CT-02 rematch against Dem Rep. Joe Courtney, but I guess we can all be glad that didn’t happen.
But he sounds very humbled by a situation where money ruled large, perhaps too large in our democracy. Sort of makes me feel bad for him.
Maybe he’ll take the high (low??) road and endorse Blumenthal lol.
Hey Rob Simmons, how’s that teabaggy, constitutionally stuff workin’ out for ya?
So McMahon’s sewn up the nod? Oh my.
As Samuel L. Jackson once said: “Hold on to yer butts.”
I’d like to bring up something that Bob Menendez said on Meet the Press on Sunday. He basically lambasted McMahon for running a ‘multi-million dollar company which promotes violence and rampant/suspicious drug use’.
I don’t know what else you can find that sounds more like it came from a Democratic elitist than from this frog-face of a DSCC Chairman. Menendez obviously has never watched a wrestling program in his entire life, or he got body slammed as a child. First off, all violence is fake and the fans know it. Secondly, to blame McMahon for the drug use that goes on in the WWE when the liability really falls on the wrestlers is pretty hollow.
Speaking as a wrestling fan, I am very insulted by Menendez’s ignorance of the reality. And by the way, very large segments of the American population happen to be fans also, and I’m pretty sure Connecticut has plenty. I’m not saying they’ll all vote for McMahon, but I don’t think they’ll appreciate the Democrats tarring and feathering their favorite pastime.
I was worried more about Simmons than McMahon.
He was the first credible Republican in the race, and constantly polled well ahead of Dodd. When Dodd retired in January, Simmons was still favored in the primary and general. So while Simmons will not be a Senator next January, he’s certainly a part of the reason why Dodd won’t be either.
Blumenthal has to be happy with this turn of events; Simmons would have been much tougher for him than McMahon.
She now gets to save $$$ from the primaries and focus on the general election.
I cant see this election turning out well for Blumenthal and think the GOP (and Linda McMahon of all people) could steal this seat.
I think the whole theft of valor controversy will more than Blumenthal can over come. If he was stupid enough to lie about his military service I am sure there is a lot of other stupidity out there as well and Linda McMahon will have the money to bring all this to light.
Even if this is all there is remember that all of McMahon’s fire power will turn on Blumenthal. CT is a very expensive TV market. You need to buy ads in NY and Boston as well as Hartford. Blumenthal is going to need to raise a lot of cash to fight back.
Even if lying about serving in Vietnam and misrepresenting his military service doesnt destroy his credibility with voters I think it could really hurt him with donors.
I know I would think twice about giving to a guy who lied about his military service. A lot of donors might say yea I might want the guy to beat McMahon but I not giving that jerk a cent.
With so many deserving candidates needing money this could hurt his ability to raise as much as he would need to fight off the multi million dollar smackdown Linda McMahon will put on him.
… because he didn’t want McMahon to kick him in the balls after a debate or something?