Connecticut U.S. Senate Focus: The Republicans
HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- Two Democrats and two Republicans will compete in next Tuesday's Connecticut primaries, in the hopes of securing their respective party's nomination for the chance to fill the Senate seat of Joe Lieberman (D), who is retiring.
Yesterday, we profiled the Democrats in the race, Chris Murphy and Susan Bysiewicz.
Today, we present the two Republican candidates, Chris Shays and Linda McMahon with reports from WCBS 880's Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau.
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CBS NEW YORK DIGITAL DEBATE: CT. Republicans
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CANDIDATE: Former U.S. Rep Christopher Shays
Chris Shays is a familiar name to Connecticut voters. With 21 years as a representative in the U.S. Congress, Shays brings experience, and a healthy record of reaching across the aisle, to Tuesday's primary.
"I have shown that I can get the job done. I have shown I can balance the budget. I have shown I can get our financial house in order," Shays told WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau.
WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau Reports:
Podcast
Shays will fight against Linda McMahon, a fellow Republican, at the polls on Tuesday for the republican nomination.
Shays says McMahon lacks experience and is amazingly clueless about the issues.
"She has been in a different arena. The arena she's been in is the WWE," he said.
Shays has also secured the endorsement of The New York Times, which calls him the clear choice between the two candidates.
If Shays wins the primary, he will face off against the chosen Democratic nominee, where he is expected to attract votes from moderate independents.
CANDIDATE: Linda McMahon
Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, hopes to secure the Republican nomination after losing her bid for Chris Dodd's Senate seat 2 years ago to Democrat Richard Blumenthal.
McMahon says she brings a different perspective to Washington that will help her be most effective in representing Connecticut's residents and getting results in the Senate.
"I bring a skill set from the perspective of a CEO. I know how to put teams together. You have to manage them, you have to motivate them, you have to inspire them," McMahon told WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau.
WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau Reports:
Podcast
McMahon says Shays is a career politician, a Washington insider who will simply produce more the same underwhelming results from D.C.
Also on McMahon's side is money. In her last campaign, she spent about $50 million dollars promoting her candidacy and this time around she is once again saturating the airwaves with campaign ads.
Who do you think will win? Sound off in the comments section below.
