Linda McMahon for Senate catch-all thread

[Ditch]

Dodd's out: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...ml?hpid=topnews

[Loss]

Surely, there's a good Democrat somewhere in Connecticut, although we've seen little evidence of that nationally. What's Ned Lamont doing these days?

[Ditch]

Dodd already had a strong primary challenger, and I've seen plenty of analysis to say that Dodd was the more vulnerable of the two.

[Ditch]

Wow: http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/20...t-to-hold-seat/

 

So it's quixotic for all the GOP candidates.

[jdw]

Yeah, Nate Silver has been all over this:

 

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/01/dod...-sidelines.html

 

Dodd's problems weren't that he was a "Dem" in that state. It's that he was "Dodd" and he's taking hits for the banking crisis and his longtime ties to them. Blumenthal is wildly popular. He'll beat this shit out of whoever gets nominated.

 

John

[Marty]

Here's the PDF file in all its glory:

 

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP...T_106925424.pdf

 

Things are looking strong for Blumenthal, but it's not like Murphy is doing too shabby either (He has a lot to do to oust Blumenthal for the Dem nomination, but he's also stronger than any of the Rep nominations). Blumenthal is also doing VERY well with all age categories and ethnic categories too.

[jdw]

Chris Murphy is more likely to aim at (i) retaining his seat this year, and (ii) going after Lying Lieb in 2012 when Obama is back on the ticket. Murphy will be just 39 in 2012, which gives him the potential of:

 

* long Senate career

* picking his spot for a national run down the road

 

To primary Dodd would have run up a bill, and left his attention away from getting re-elected to the House. Also, if Dodd was still in the race, he would have been swimming upstream of the DNC/DSCC Establishment that would have been solidly backing Dodd. Not something that Murphy at this point would want to risk.

 

Dodd retiring was almost certainly to clear the field for Blumenthal, which is born out by how quickly Blumenthal announced his candidacy.

 

In turn, one would expect the DNC/DSCC to fully back Murphy come 2012 against Lieb. If Lieb had "played nice" after his 2008 walkabout, one could see the DNC/DSCC walking the fine line like they're doing with Spector: i.e. officially backing Spector, but unofficially hoping Sestak wins the primary because he's short term more likely to beat Toomey and long term more likely to hold the seat (due to Spectors unpopularity and age/health). Since Lieb didn't play nice, and that 60 seat majority is at risk in 2010, it's much more certain that Lieb will be aggressively killed off in 2012. Murphy is likely just the candidate they'd like to run as a contrast to Lieb.

 

John

[Loss]

Joe Lieberman's political universe falling apart as he prepares to transition to a career in big health will be the highlight of 2012.

[sek69]

So either Linda gets trounced in the primaries, or gets trounced by Blumenthal in the main election. The question is, how does WWE spin it when she retreats back to the company?

[artDDP]

They'll just say that Linda earned so much percent of the vote despite only spending so much money, spinning it as a major gain for an "outsider" candidate.

[sek69]

They'll just say that Linda earned so much percent of the vote despite only spending so much money, spinning it as a major gain for an "outsider" candidate.

 

I can see that as a DID YOU KNOW? on Raw.....

[kjh]

That does presume that if she loses she retreats back to the company. As she's 61 and wrestling isn't her passion, I doubt she comes back. She'll probably take on more political or charitable roles while she eases into retirement.

[sek69]

I see her getting some role in the company, if nothing else just for symbolic purposes so they can still brag about having women in high levels of power despite none of them having final say-so about anything.

[Slasher]

I see her getting some role in the company, if nothing else just for symbolic purposes so they can still brag about having women in high levels of power despite none of them having final say-so about anything.

Besides Stephanie, you mean?

[kjh]

And COO Donna Goldsmith and Executive Vice President of Marketing Michelle Wilson?

[sek69]

None of them, not even Stephanie, have veto power if Vince says no.

[Grimmas]

None of them, not even Stephanie, have veto power if Vince says no.

So that means nobody has high levels of power, because Vince can veto things?

[sek69]

None of them, not even Stephanie, have veto power if Vince says no.

So that means nobody has high levels of power, because Vince can veto things?

 

 

Ummm, no.

 

 

I'm saying that you can promote people and give them all the fancy titles you want, at the end of the day only one person has final say so. WWE tends to make it sound like other people in high ranking positions are in a position to make decisions when everything has to be approved from the top down in near-micromanaging detail.

[Slasher]

The other women that was listed, I'd agree with as having less power than stated, but you're fucking joking if you don't think Stephanie has real powers. Sure, Vince can veto her ideas, but more often than not her ideas shine through in the product, because Vince isn't going to veto many of her ideas. That's why the WWE is in the shape it is in today. As far as I know the only idea that Vince was very deadset on not approving was the War Games, and that was really more Triple H's thing than Stephanie's.

 

Furthermore, under your criteria, not many women have the ability to say they have powers, in every company. Because many companies are owned by a male, who could ultimately step in and say "Fuck this, this is my show and I run it." But many of them allow people under them to try to run things with as much freedom as possible. It's not like it's a democracy out there in every business. So with that in mind, Stephanie's a good pick as any as a woman with power.

[Dan]

New Quinnipac poll

 

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has 35 to 47-point leads over three Republican candidates for the 2010 U.S. Senate contest, thumping former wrestling executive Linda McMahon 64 - 23 percent, bruising businessman Peter Schiff 66 - 19 percent and smacking former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons 62 - 27 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

 

Simmons tops McMahon 37 - 27 percent in a Republican primary, with 4 percent for Schiff and 28 percent undecided, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.

 

Blumenthal, who only announced his candidacy January 6, leads Merrick Alpert in a Democratic primary 82 - 4 percent.

 

In matchups with Republicans, Blumenthal gets 89 to 90 percent of the Democratic voters, 60 to 64 percent of the independent voters and 30 to 38 percent of Republican voters.

 

Connecticut voters approve 84 - 11 percent of the job Blumenthal is doing as attorney general and give him a 74 - 13 percent favorability rating.

 

"Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's job approval is unbelievably high, higher than any other politician we've ever measured, other than former President George W. Bush after 9/11," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, PhD.

 

"Rob Simmons must be wondering what happened. In September, prior to McMahon's entry, he was the clear frontrunner for the nomination. He was at 43 percent and no other Republican was in double digits. He also was ahead of Dodd. Now, Simmons is in a real Republican primary race with Linda McMahon and gets destroyed by Blumenthal."

 

Connecticut voters say 82 - 11 percent that Blumenthal has the right kind of experience to be a U.S. Senator; 81 - 9 percent that he is honest and trustworthy and 80 - 12 percent that he cares about their needs and problems.

 

McMahon does not have the right experience to be a Senator, voters say 43 - 24 percent, but she is honest and trustworthy, voters say 35 - 15 percent, and she cares about their needs and problems, voters say 37 - 26 percent.

 

Simmons has the experience, voters say 53 - 16 percent; is honest and trustworthy, voters say 49 - 14 percent, and cares about their needs and problems, voters say 51 - 19 percent.

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1296.xml?ReleaseID=1412

[Cox]

How long until Linda comes up with some crazy reason for dropping out of the race? You know there's no way a McMahon would want to be publicly humiliated in a race like this.

[sek69]

Maybe they'll claim there was a bomb threat at the election headquarters and Linda will drop out in the name of public safety.

[kjh]

I actually think she'll be in it till the bitter end and may even run as an independent if she doesn't get the Republican nomination.

[S.L.L.]

Maybe they'll claim there was a bomb threat at the election headquarters and Linda will drop out in the name of public safety.

Well, then she'd have to run for a smaller position and move the election headquarters across the street.

[Loss]

I hope she at least stays in long enough to put all of her policy positions on her website. That will be interesting.