Murphy, McMahon Hit Campaign Trail After Wins In Conn. U.S. Senate Primary
WALLINGFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) - It's now a race to November for Connecticut's U.S. Senate candidates.
WCBS 880's Paul Murnane With Murphy
Podcast
Rep. Chris Murphy beat out former Connecticut Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz for the Democratic nomination and former WWE executive Linda McMahon won over former U.S. Rep. Chris Shays for the Republican nomination.
On Wednesday, Murphy was back out on the campaign trail, touring an energy technology firm in Wallingford.
He called McMahon's claim that his vote for health care reform (the Affordable Care Act) amounts to support for $700 billion in Medicare cuts a lie.
McMahan, he said, keeps changing her tune.
Lately, he said, she had vowed to cut overall spending, except defense and seniors programs.
"That means that in six years, the only thing that you can spend money on is Social Security, defense, and Medicare," he told reporters Wednesday. "It consumes the rest of the budget."
He said McMahon is parroting attack lines Mitt Romney and Rep. Paul Ryan.
He has challenged McMahon to a debate next week on their competing jobs plans.
McMahon, for her part, has called Murphy a career politician, saying she's the one with the history of creating jobs.
WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau With McMahon
Podcast
Murphy said he's worked on health care and ethics reform as McMahon made billions selling sex and violence.
"Now that we're into the final 12 weeks. It's time for her to start talking openly about what she believes in and it's time for the voters to be able to see the real difference," Murphy said.
Murphy admitted that he'll probably be outspent by McMahon, but he wouldn't rule out outside support, which he said is a reality in modern politics.
If this a the taste of the race to november, commuters in Westport Wednesday morning said they hope there's other stuff on the plate.
"The economy, jobs," one told WCBS 880 reporter Paul Murnane.
"I would like someone to go to Washington who's going to start breaking the log jams and getting things done," another said.
On the campaign trail Wednesday, McMahon said that any hard feelings between her and Shays have been extinguished.
"Congressman Shays was very gracious. He called last night. He congratulated me on the victory," McMahon told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau in Fairfield on Wednesday. "He said it was a call he hadn't wanted to make, but he was very gracious and I told him, I said "Chris, you know you were my Congressman. I will always have great respect for you and I will always hold you and Betsy in high esteem.' He told me that I had his vote in November and his support."
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