Connecticut

In an increasingly contentious Connecticut Senate primary, Republicans Linda McMahon and Chris Shays are arguing that each is a better fiscal conservative than the other. In a new blog post, the McMahon campaign says Shays, a former congressman, has a similar record on spending and debt as the likely Democratic nominee, three-term congressman Chris Murphy.

Former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon currently leads former congressman Chris Shays in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Connecticut, according to a new poll released this week.

While the GOP presidential primary race has captured most of the media attention, Republicans are also gearing up for the 33 Senate seats on the ballot next year. Democrats currently hold 23 of those seats, and Republicans will need a net win of at least 4 seats to gain control of the Senate. A couple GOP candidates in important races have, or will soon be, announcing runs soon.

“If we don’t succeed, I probably won’t be re-elected. If I’m not re-elected, you’re not gonna have somebody who does the kinds of things I do, who actually believes in government, and believes in unions at the same time.” — Gov. Dannel Malloy to union leaders on March 4. 

As expected, the Yale College faculty voted Thursday to remove all obstacles to hosting an on-campus ROTC program. The Yale Daily News reported a “significant majority” in favor. According to a source, support was so strong a simple show of hands was enough to decide the issue; no ballots necessary. Yale has been in talks with the Navy and Air Force about restoring its ROTC programs.

Jim Geraghty reports on a "strange development" in the Connecticut Senate race: "Rob Simmons isn’t quite leaving the Connecticut Senate race… but he’s not going to campaign, either."

Dick Blumenthal is finally saying what he should have said last week, sending an apology for his exaggerations about his Vietnam service to the Hartford Courant in Connecticut:

When Sen. Chris Dodd decided to retire instead of seeking another term as senator, the conventional wisdom held that popular Connecticut Attorney General Dick Blumenthal would turn an at-risk seat into an easy win for his party.

Turns out Blumenthal's bumbling has Democrats nervous, despite a commanding lead over Republican challengers Rob Simmons and Linda McMahon. (He lead Simmons 52-38 in a Rasmussen poll this week.)