The Other McCain

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Simmons Quits in Connecticut

Posted on | May 25, 2010 | 23 Comments

Bad news for a good guy:

Rob Simmons ended his campaign for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate today, comparing a run against Linda McMahon’s money to the futility of Pickett’s Charge during the Civil War.
“As somebody interested in military history, it was a foolish waste of people and resources, with a tremendously demoralizing outcome,” said Simmons, a retired Army officer and Vietnam veteran.
Simmons . . . will leave his name on the Republican primary ballot, leaving no doubt that an endorsement of McMahon will not be forthcoming. . . .
McMahon, who had contributed $16 million to her campaign by May 1, is on pace to break all campaign spending records in the state by the Fourth of July. She says she has budgeted $50 million of her personal fortune in an effort to become the first Connecticut Republican to win a Senate race since Lowell P. Weicker Jr. in 1982.
Simmons, who won 46 percent of the delegate vote Friday night at the Republican State Convention, said today he had every right to wage a primary.
“Speaking for myself and my family, however, we understand the mathematical reality of competing against an opponent with unlimited financial resources,” Simmons said. . . . “This is not an easy decision. This is not a happy decision. But I believe it is the right decision.”

Make no mistake about my sympathies: Simmons would have been the better match-up against the fake-hero Blumenthal. And McMahon’s self-funding strategy isn’t exactly going to help the GOP shake the “party of the rich” label. Nevertheless, once the primary is over, Simmons and McMahon really ought to mend the breach for the fall campaign. One more “R” in the Senate has got to be worth something.

(Note to commenters: No fair using this argument in favor of supporting John McCain. That son of a bitch has got to go.)

Category: Connecticut, Republicans, Senate

Comments

23 Responses to “Simmons Quits in Connecticut”

  1. Joe
    May 25th, 2010 @ 4:55 pm

    Simmons is a good guy. I would have preferred him too. The party tried to steer him to a Rep. seat but he wanted to see if he could get the party behind him. But McMahon has the bucks and is serious about self financing this thing. She is going to have the mussle to take on Blumenthal financially.

    Having money is not a disqualification in the Nutmeg State. I hope McMahon can pull it out (and I note she has a blog ad running on your site here, which is a good thing).

  2. Joe
    May 25th, 2010 @ 4:55 pm

    Simmons is a good guy. I would have preferred him too. The party tried to steer him to a Rep. seat but he wanted to see if he could get the party behind him. But McMahon has the bucks and is serious about self financing this thing. She is going to have the mussle to take on Blumenthal financially.

    Having money is not a disqualification in the Nutmeg State. I hope McMahon can pull it out (and I note she has a blog ad running on your site here, which is a good thing).

  3. Joe
    May 25th, 2010 @ 11:55 am

    Simmons is a good guy. I would have preferred him too. The party tried to steer him to a Rep. seat but he wanted to see if he could get the party behind him. But McMahon has the bucks and is serious about self financing this thing. She is going to have the mussle to take on Blumenthal financially.

    Having money is not a disqualification in the Nutmeg State. I hope McMahon can pull it out (and I note she has a blog ad running on your site here, which is a good thing).

  4. Count Vikula
    May 25th, 2010 @ 5:14 pm

    Blah.

    Go Peter Schiff. http://www.schiffforsenate.com

  5. Count Vikula
    May 25th, 2010 @ 5:14 pm

    Blah.

    Go Peter Schiff. http://www.schiffforsenate.com

  6. Count Vikula
    May 25th, 2010 @ 12:14 pm

    Blah.

    Go Peter Schiff. http://www.schiffforsenate.com

  7. ConantheCimmerian
    May 25th, 2010 @ 5:42 pm

    John McCain. That son of a bitch has got to go.

    May it be so.

  8. ConantheCimmerian
    May 25th, 2010 @ 12:42 pm

    John McCain. That son of a bitch has got to go.

    May it be so.

  9. Ran / Si Vis Pacem
    May 25th, 2010 @ 5:45 pm

    McMahon is supported and preferred by Nutmeg liberals who run the Connecticut Republican machine.

    I was talking to one of the Greenwich delegates last night – a self-described “life-long Republican and conservative” who proudly claims he voted for Obama. The guy is a congenital disimulator, a Progressive and a huge fan of John McCain, which are relevant: He loves McMahon. That fact suggests to me she’s a clone of Olympia Snowe.

    “Moderate.” BOHICA ALERT!

    In fairness, I know absolutely nothing about her views or record. She may be a libertarian-conservative. Given what I know of her supporters, however… I’d be very grateful for confirmation of her principled objections to the Progressive agenda.

  10. Ran / Si Vis Pacem
    May 25th, 2010 @ 12:45 pm

    McMahon is supported and preferred by Nutmeg liberals who run the Connecticut Republican machine.

    I was talking to one of the Greenwich delegates last night – a self-described “life-long Republican and conservative” who proudly claims he voted for Obama. The guy is a congenital disimulator, a Progressive and a huge fan of John McCain, which are relevant: He loves McMahon. That fact suggests to me she’s a clone of Olympia Snowe.

    “Moderate.” BOHICA ALERT!

    In fairness, I know absolutely nothing about her views or record. She may be a libertarian-conservative. Given what I know of her supporters, however… I’d be very grateful for confirmation of her principled objections to the Progressive agenda.

  11. Joe
    May 25th, 2010 @ 5:46 pm

    Count Vikula–probably not a chance. Unfortunately it is coming down to McMahon or Semper fibus Blumenthal.

  12. Joe
    May 25th, 2010 @ 12:46 pm

    Count Vikula–probably not a chance. Unfortunately it is coming down to McMahon or Semper fibus Blumenthal.

  13. JSF
    May 25th, 2010 @ 6:06 pm

    I actually know Rep. Simmons former Chief of Staff (now working for a NJ GOP Rep); Simmons had the right background, former Military and Intellegence agent.

    And we have the same problem (self-funding candidates) in CA — Meg Whitman is not loved (or respected) by the Central Committee members or activists — if she wins the Primary, there will very few people in the Southland that will support her. Poizner at least shows up and asks for our votes.

  14. JSF
    May 25th, 2010 @ 6:06 pm

    I actually know Rep. Simmons former Chief of Staff (now working for a NJ GOP Rep); Simmons had the right background, former Military and Intellegence agent.

    And we have the same problem (self-funding candidates) in CA — Meg Whitman is not loved (or respected) by the Central Committee members or activists — if she wins the Primary, there will very few people in the Southland that will support her. Poizner at least shows up and asks for our votes.

  15. JSF
    May 25th, 2010 @ 1:06 pm

    I actually know Rep. Simmons former Chief of Staff (now working for a NJ GOP Rep); Simmons had the right background, former Military and Intellegence agent.

    And we have the same problem (self-funding candidates) in CA — Meg Whitman is not loved (or respected) by the Central Committee members or activists — if she wins the Primary, there will very few people in the Southland that will support her. Poizner at least shows up and asks for our votes.

  16. Joe
    May 25th, 2010 @ 8:54 pm

    I preferred Simmons. He seemed perfect to take on Blumenthal. But the Nutmeg Republican Party voted for McMahon.

    I doubt Peter Schiff is going to win the GOP primary. Vote for him if you want (I have nothing against him, other than he would probably lose the general if he won the primary). It looks like this is going to be McMahon vs. Blumenthal. Even if McMahon is a moderate–this is Connetticut we are talking about (a fairly blue state) and a GOP candidate is going to have a hard time. Maybe she is the best pick given the circumstances.

    I want Blumethal to go down in the general. And if McMahon can deliver the pile driver, so be it.

  17. Joe
    May 25th, 2010 @ 3:54 pm

    I preferred Simmons. He seemed perfect to take on Blumenthal. But the Nutmeg Republican Party voted for McMahon.

    I doubt Peter Schiff is going to win the GOP primary. Vote for him if you want (I have nothing against him, other than he would probably lose the general if he won the primary). It looks like this is going to be McMahon vs. Blumenthal. Even if McMahon is a moderate–this is Connetticut we are talking about (a fairly blue state) and a GOP candidate is going to have a hard time. Maybe she is the best pick given the circumstances.

    I want Blumethal to go down in the general. And if McMahon can deliver the pile driver, so be it.

  18. Cousin Sam
    May 26th, 2010 @ 3:45 am

    So…..hypothetically speaking….if there were an imaginary candidate named, say, OhnJay CainMcay, who lived in the magical land of Arizonia, for example, and the only way to get a “R” in the Arizonian Senatorium was to vote for Mr. CainMcay, you’re saying we shouldn’t do that? Just hypothetically speaking, any resemblance to any real elections there is coincidental, since that’s a totally different situation than voting for an unlikable billionaire sideshow-carnival huckster RINO in Connecticut in real life, right? And I do want to be fair….

  19. Cousin Sam
    May 26th, 2010 @ 3:45 am

    So…..hypothetically speaking….if there were an imaginary candidate named, say, OhnJay CainMcay, who lived in the magical land of Arizonia, for example, and the only way to get a “R” in the Arizonian Senatorium was to vote for Mr. CainMcay, you’re saying we shouldn’t do that? Just hypothetically speaking, any resemblance to any real elections there is coincidental, since that’s a totally different situation than voting for an unlikable billionaire sideshow-carnival huckster RINO in Connecticut in real life, right? And I do want to be fair….

  20. Cousin Sam
    May 25th, 2010 @ 10:45 pm

    So…..hypothetically speaking….if there were an imaginary candidate named, say, OhnJay CainMcay, who lived in the magical land of Arizonia, for example, and the only way to get a “R” in the Arizonian Senatorium was to vote for Mr. CainMcay, you’re saying we shouldn’t do that? Just hypothetically speaking, any resemblance to any real elections there is coincidental, since that’s a totally different situation than voting for an unlikable billionaire sideshow-carnival huckster RINO in Connecticut in real life, right? And I do want to be fair….

  21. just a conservative girl
    May 26th, 2010 @ 4:04 am

    I grew up in CT, conservatives don’t have much of a shot there.

    Many of in CT would find cutting off body parts preferable to voting for a republican. Don’t be a bit surprised if Blumenthal wins the seat. I won’t be.

  22. just a conservative girl
    May 26th, 2010 @ 4:04 am

    I grew up in CT, conservatives don’t have much of a shot there.

    Many of in CT would find cutting off body parts preferable to voting for a republican. Don’t be a bit surprised if Blumenthal wins the seat. I won’t be.

  23. just a conservative girl
    May 25th, 2010 @ 11:04 pm

    I grew up in CT, conservatives don’t have much of a shot there.

    Many of in CT would find cutting off body parts preferable to voting for a republican. Don’t be a bit surprised if Blumenthal wins the seat. I won’t be.