Linda McMahon, formerly CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, ran for U.S. Senator from Connecticut from September 16, 2009, to November 4, 2010. On May 21, 2010, she won a majority of support from the Connecticut Republican Party. She ran as a Republican, promising lower taxes, fiscal conservatism, and job creation. McMahon spent $50 million of her own money on the campaign, allowing her to refuse campaign donations from special interest groups. She gained name recognition and popularity over her Republican opponents, including Rob Simmons, the prior frontrunner.
Simmons, who forced an August primary election, had suspended his campaign shortly after the State Republican convention, but resumed campaigning in late July, participating in debates, and advertising on television. Peter Schiff gained placement on the primary ballot by collecting signatures. McMahon won the August 10 primary, but lost the general election to Richard Blumenthal, then Attorney General of Connecticut, her Democratic opponent.
Background In August 2009, McMahon's spokesperson said that she had considered running as a Republican candidate in the Connecticut Senate race for the seat then held by Democrat Christopher Dodd. McMahon announced her candidacy on the morning of September 16, 2009. Her husband assumed her duties as CEO at WWE effective immediately. Wrestling fans and political observers initially were incredulous, some thinking the announcement was an "on-screen publicity stunt". As McMahon began airing television and radio advertisements touting her business credentials, it became clear that the campaign was a serious effort.
McMahon began her campaign encouraged by news of slumping approval ratings for Dodd. Her Republican opponents had directly attacked him, leveraging popular sentiment against his "insider status" and "fiscal irresponsibility". Connecticut voters stated that the economy and healthcare were their most pressing issues. A November poll showed Rob Simmons as the favorite in the Republican field with a 30–40-point lead over other candidates.
Campaign for the nomination
2009
McMahon opened her campaign with a media blitz. She advertised on television across the state. McMahon also hired high-profile campaign staff. Her campaign spokesman, Ed Patru, had worked on John McCain's 2000 presidential campaign.Whittell, Giles. "$50 million says I'll wrestle my way to the Senate." The Times (London). March 18, 2010, Thursday NEWS; Pg. 29 Her campaign manager, former State Senator David Cappiello, received a salary of roughly $280,000.
McMahon ran as an outsider, criticizing the Senate for its connection to Wall Street and federal banking bailouts. Her campaign ads emphasized her distance from politics, stressing she was "not a career politician". She criticized the current Senate for passing large bills in a perfunctory manner, particularly the $800 billion stimulus package. Her first televised political ad, "Perseverance", touted her experience as a business leader, stating, "Thirty years ago, my husband and I started our business. It wasn't always easy but we grew it into a publicly traded company that's creating jobs here in Connecticut today."
YouTube incident In October 2009, Democratic political operatives used YouTube videos of WWE for political ads. On October 16, Colleen Flanagan, a spokeswoman for Chris Dodd, posted controversial videos that showed the unsavory side of WWE on Talking Points Memo, a political news website. She said the programming showed "simulated rape, public sex and necrophilia" and McMahon should not be Senator because she "condones this type of behavior". Hours later, YouTube removed the videos after contact from WWE. WWE had informed YouTube that the material was copyright under US law.
The Connecticut Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission asking for an investigation into what happened with the controversial videos. The complaint claimed that of the "almost 500,000" videos of WWE on YouTube, the three were removed selectively to help McMahon's campaign.
Republican outsider
In October 2009, McMahon was viewed as a political outsider in the Republican Party (GOP). She faced competition from Sam Caligiuri and Rob Simmons, both established politicians among Connecticut Republicans. She lost some credibility among Republicans because of revelations about her voting recordMcMahon admitted to not voting in 2006 and in the 2008 Republican primaries, saying she decided not to after it became clear that John McCain was the presumptive Presidential nominee.
Because of faulty record-keeping at the Republican Registrar of voters in Greenwich, it was originally thought that she had only voted in 2000 and 2008. The claim—which had been published in the Associated Press—was debunked in January 2010 when the Registrar of votes in Greenwich admitted it had poor records, and had recently conducted a new search query. According to its investigation, McMahon had voted in the 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, and 2009 elections.
See: " McMahon Acknowledges Spotty Voting Record." Congress Daily. p. 20. Retrieved January 25, 2010. See: Summers, April. (September 23, 2009) See: Haigh, Susan. (2009-09-23) "Ex-wrestling CEO running for Senate missed voting." Associated Press Online. Retrieved 2010-01-25. See See: (2010-01-19) Neil, Vigdor. "All eyes on McMahon's voting record in Greenwich." Connecticut Post. Retrieved 2010-01-23. See: Linda McMahon: "I didn't vote, I regret it, I apologize, and I don't make any excuses for it" KocoSports. Retrieved 2010-03-28. and past donations to Democrats, prompting speculation that she would run as an Independent candidate should she lose the Republican Primary.
Keene, Tom (host) (taped December 1, 2009) "Linda McMahon interview". Bloomberg Surveillance with Tom Keene. Bloomberg Radio. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
As CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, McMahon donated to Republicans and Democratic Leadership Council–affiliated Democrats, including Sen. Joe Lieberman in 2006 and Rahm Emanuel from the period of 2002 to 2008. McMahon donated $10,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on September 26, 2006, a contribution that helped Joe Courtney weeks before his win against Rob Simmons for the Second Congressional District.Open Secrets online database, "Linda McMahon" Since 1980, McMahon contributed twice as much to Republicans as to Democrats—($70,700 to Republicans, $35,100 to Democrats, and $1,000 to independents). McMahon also donated to the Republican Majority for Choice in 2006, a political action committee favoring abortion and the "big tent" political strategy of the GOP. This record led conservative activists to label McMahon a RINO.
Connecticut Republican voters were displeased to learn of McMahon's donations to Emanuel, a highly partisan figure who helped orchestrate the Democratic shift in the House in 2006 and Barack Obama's presidential win. McMahon explained to voters that her donations to Emanuel were on behalf of Rahm's brother, Ari Emanuel, who had represented WWE in Hollywood since 1992.Tinley, James. (March 26, 2010) "Milford Republicans courted by McMahon in Senate quest (video)" New Haven Register. Retrieved March 27, 2010. According to McMahon, in 2002, "He (Ari) called me one day and he said, my brother is running for Congress in Illinois. It happened to be Rahm. I didn't know Rahm." McMahon made more donations over the course of the next several years, including one check she wrote when Rahm Emanuel came to WWE headquarters to meet her. McMahon's spokesperson clarified that McMahon did not know who Rahm Emanuel was in 2002, but was aware of his partisan status in 2006.
Wrestling in the spotlight
In November 2009, former wrestler Superstar Billy Graham became an outspoken critic of McMahon's campaign. He said the McMahons were hypocrites for "toning down" the violence and sexuality in pro wrestling after many years of showing adult themes. He launched Internet videos on WrestleView saying the WWE's switch to PG was politically motivated: "...they (Linda and Vince) are doing it strictly to get Linda McMahon elected to Senator of Connecticut", he stated in one video. Billy Graham contracted hepatitis C from another wrestler's blood during his time in WWE and required a life-saving liver transplant as a result. When speaking about Linda, he said, "She may look like a Sunday school teacher. Linda McMahon's hands are as bloody as her husband's because she is aware of every move in the ring. She has had no problem with grown men—myself included—cutting their head with a razor blade. All of a sudden, why aren't these guys bleeding anymore? Because Linda is running for the Senate." Graham told reporters that he was furious about having no pension and no health care after his wrestling career with WWE.
McMahon's campaign responded directly to Graham's accusations, saying he was a "self-confessed liar". On November 12, The campaign sent a letter directly to WrestleView, where Billy Graham had posted videos, attacking his credibility.Paglino, Nick. (November 12, 2009)WWE responds to Billy Graham's PG-allegations WrestleZone.com. Retrieved March 31, 2010. The campaign circulated an apology letter Graham had written to the company in 1996, saying "he has a habit of making false statements when he's not on WWE's payroll". In the letter, Graham had admitted to making unjustified verbal attacks following his termination in 1989.Bix. (November 25, 2009) Linda McMahon for Senate Roundup CageSideSeats Blog. Retrieved March 31, 2010. Graham later reached out to apologize to McMahon for his comments, even offering to be a representative for her campaign.
McMahon–Simmons rivalry McMahon and Simmons engaged in negative campaigning in November 2009. In one political mailing, McMahon portrayed Simmons to the Tea Party movement as a fraud.Klein, Rick. (February 1, 2010) Rob Simmons and the Power of Tea Bags – ‘Top Line’ Candidate Corner (Simmons had courted Tea Party conservatives, and even carried a tea bag in his pocketduring the campaign trail ). In December, an article in The Washington Times suggested that Simmons' appeals to conservatives were insincere,Carpenter, Amanda. (December 9, 2009) 'Tea Party' poser? The Washington Times. Accessed March 26, 2010 Linda McMahon Press Release. Greenwich Blog of Record. Retrieved 2010-03-26. pointing to his past support for "cap and trade" and "card check", two hot button issues for the Tea Party.Patru, Ed. (December 10, 2009) Greenwich resident Linda McMahon is gaining momentum McMahon's campaign savaged this apparent flip-flop, sending mailings to Connecticut voters highlighting the issue. This hurt Simmons' standing among conservatives and labor unions.Vigdor, Neil. (March 24, 2010)Simmons' conservative credentials called into question by union bosses Stamford Advocate. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
Simmons focused later advertising on criticizing McMahon and the WWE.McMahon WWE Accountability Clock Many times, Simmons accused McMahon of trying to "buy the election". In January, he circulated YouTube videos of wrestler Eugene being humiliated on-screen, claiming the WWE was insensitive to the mentally challenged. The McMahon campaign countered, saying Eugene, rather than being ridiculed, was an inspirational character who ultimately became "a hero".