Linda Wins Backing Of State GOP

[TJChurch]

NoDQ.com...

Former WWE head Linda McMahon's campaign just issued the following statement:

Moments ago, our campaign won the endorsement at the Connecticut Republican Party state convention.

We're incredibly pleased with the growing momentum behind our campaign & the better-than-expected show of support we received from Republican leaders & activists across our state.

Elections are about contrasts, & Connecticut Republicans today sent a clear & resounding message that they intend to challenge the Washington establishment & its hand-picked candidate with a political outsider.

This election will be a choice between an outsider running to shake up Washington & a career politician eager to join the establishment. It will be a contrast between real-world business experience & government experience. It will be a choice between something different & more of the same.

It is little wonder we have drawn to a statistical dead heat with Dick Blumenthal so quickly.

I'm very honored to have earned my party's endorsement & nomination, & I am determined to lead our party to victory in November.

Let's keep the momentum going straight through to Election Day.

[TJChurch]

AP Via Yahoo...

HARTFORD, Conn. – Former wrestling executive Linda McMahon won the Republican party endorsement for U.S. Senate in Connecticut on Friday & vowed to "lay the smackdown" on state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who captured the Democratic nomination despite recent criticism for misstating his military record.

Blumenthal, who served in the Marine Reserve during Vietnam, easily won the endorsement at his party's convention earlier Friday to fill the seat being vacated by the retiring Sen. Chris Dodd.

"I have made mistakes. I regret them. And I have taken responsibility," Blumenthal said. "But this campaign must be about the people of Connecticut."

McMahon, who has acknowledged providing information on Blumenthal's misstatements to the media, pulled away from former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons when several dozen delegates at the Republican convention switched their votes before the first ballot became final.

Many delegates said they believe McMahon, who has vowed to spend $50 million of her own money in the campaign, has enough resources to beat the popular Blumenthal.

"I venture to say we're going to lay the smackdown on him come November," McMahon said, borrowing a wrestling term.

But before McMahon takes on Blumenthal in the fall, she has to get by Simmons, a Vietnam war veteran with 2 Bronze Stars. He received enough votes Friday to force an August primary.

"The McMahon campaign has invested over $16 million in this campaign, & I've spent nothing to take my case to the voters, & believe a case remains to be made," said Simmons, who said he still has about $1 million in contributions.

Fairfield County money manger Peter Schiff, who lost many of his delegates to McMahon, may try to petition his way onto the primary ballot, supporters said.

Despite the national attention that Blumenthal's misstatements have attracted, Democrats said they could not ignore his 26 years of political service — 6 years as a state lawmaker & 20 as Connecticut's omnipresent attorney general — to the state.

Blumenthal sprinted past Mystic businessman Merrick Alpert in the delegate count, leading Alpert to pull out of the contest & Blumenthal winning on a voice vote.

"I do think it's unfortunate he had some of the statements he made, but this convention is with him & everyone is human," said state Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, D-West Hartford.

Two miles away, the Republican convention took on many of the trappings of a World Wrestling Entertainment event, complete with appearances by McMahon's husband, Vince, & Paul Levesque, McMahon's son-in-law, who is known to wrestling fans as Triple H.

Many of McMahon's supporters painted Blumenthal in the role of bad guy, wearing stickers with Blumenthal's face & the word "Liar."

"Now we know we have a really good shot of winning," said Joyce Koslowski, 61, of Seymour. "He had such a perfect record, & I think he thought he was unbeatable. And now we know he's not perfect, & we know we can get him."

Blumenthal became embroiled in a political crisis when The New York Times reported Monday that he had repeatedly distorted his military service. The story included quotations & a video of Blumenthal saying at a 2008 event that he had served in Vietnam.

Blumenthal said Tuesday that he meant to say he served "during" Vietnam instead of "in" Vietnam. He said the statements were "totally unintentional" errors that occurred a few times out of hundreds of public appearances.

A longer version of the video posted by McMahon's campaign shows Blumenthal at the beginning of his speech correctly characterizing his service by saying that he "served in the military, during the Vietnam era."

"Already, we've seen them try to make this race about attacks on my character & service," Blumenthal said Friday of his potential November opponents. "I'm proud of my service. I'm proud of the work I've done for veterans."

Damian Maine of New Britain, who served in the Navy in Europe during the Vietnam War, was forgiving of Blumenthal, who he said has done good things for the state.

"Sometimes his story got a little mixed up, but I'm sure there's a lot of veterans who still support him," he said.

McMahon defended spending her personal fortune on the race.

"I was an unknown coming into this race," she said. "I needed to have a good solid campaign out of the box because people need to know who I am & what I stand for."

Without mentioning McMahon's name, Blumenthal inferred she could be his toughest opponent: "This will be a long & tough campaign. I may be outspent, but I won't be outworked."