Ex-wrestling executive’s grip on Connecticut Senate race tightens, poll finds

A challenge by an untraditional Republican outsider has turned the U.S. Senate race in Connecticut, one of the bluest of blue states, surprisingly close, according to the latest poll released Tuesday.

Atty. Gen. Richard Blumenthal, the Democrat, leads former wrestling executive Linda McMahon by 51% to 45%, according to the Quinnipiac University poll. Three percent said they were undecided.

From September 8 – 12, Quinnipiac University surveyed 875 likely voters The margin of error is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

“This is now a six-point race among likely voters. With seven weeks to go and lots of money to be spent, anything can happen,” said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz.

“For Atty. Gen. Blumenthal, an elected official with a 70% approval rating, this race is surprisingly close,” he stated. “It is not that voters are wild about McMahon; her favorability rating is tepid. And many of her supporters are more anti-Blumenthal.”

The pair are fighting for the seat being vacated by Sen. Christopher Dodd, a staunch liberal. Both candidates are carrying burdens going into the election. Blumenthal was hurt by misstatements about his military career. McMahon, a wealthy former wrestling executive, carries the advantages and disadvantages of her business past into the race.

While Democrats question that the race is as close as the Quinnipiac poll says, that the Republican candidate is at all near is remarkable. Connecticut hasn’t elected a Republican senator since Lowell Weicker, another liberal voice, in 1982.

McMahon is being helped by what polls say is a decline in Democratic fortunes. According to the poll, President’s Obama’s approval rating is at 45% in the state while 52% have a negative view. Obama easily carried the state in 2008 by a ratio of better than 3 to 2.

“The question is whether McMahon can ride the anti-establishment, anti-Democratic wave to victory in blue Connecticut in November, ” Dr. Schwartz said.

Democrats insist they are doing better than the poll indicates. According to a poll for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Blumenthal leads McMahon 54% to 39%. Obama gets a 55% job approval rating.

Meanwhile, the White House announced that the president will travel Thursday to New York City and to Connecticut to campaign for Blumenthal and the DNC.

Fifty-five percent of those surveyed by Quinnipiac said the economy and jobs are the main issues; 11% said healthcare. Just 4% cited illegal immigration and 2% said the war in Afghanistan.

michael.muskal@latimes.com

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