Wrestling for the Senate in Connecticut

The race: US Senate, Connecticut

The candidates
: Richard Blumenthal (Democrat) vs. Linda McMahon (Republican)

The intrigue: Connecticut once looked like a Senate stronghold for Democrats. And longtime Democratic Attorney General Richard Blumenthal seemed a sure bet to replace retiring Senator Christopher Dodd. But former World Wrestling Entertainment chief executive Linda McMahon wants to body slam those hopes.

As the only candidate in the midterms to have been slapped by her daughter and to have kicked her husband’s groin for American audiences’ viewing pleasure, Linda McMahon might seem like an odd-ball pick for a critical Senate contest. (She and husband Vince McMahon founded what has become a pro-wrestling empire. And in the past she has played herself in scripted, on-camera brawls). But in fact, McMahon is part of an important election trend this year: Republican women who are putting up serious, personal funds to challenge the Democrat’s majority in Congress. She has come across as a strong, credible opponent in debates, besieging Blumenthal for having lied about his military service in Vietnam. Blumenthal was forced to apologize for the fib. Democrats can’t afford to lose Connecticut and have reportedly poured significant national party money to save Blumenthal’s campaign.

The odds: Blumenthal is still expected to keep the Connecticut seat for Democrats, but McMahon has cut a lead that was over 20 percentage points in February down to about 7 percentage points in the final weeks of campaigning.

Winner: Blumenthal

Linda McMahon photo courtesy of Linda McMahon facebook page.