Christopher Shays
U.S. Senate Hopeful
Photo by Steve Kotchko
Posted 1/30/12
The Connecticut Republican Party is used to being the minority party in the usually “blue” state of Connecticut where Democrats rule the voter registration rolls. Perhaps in reaction to that status, the state GOP, for decades, has been enamored of candidates for statewide office who are millionaires, not because of some stereotype about Republicans being rich, but because wealthy candidates willing to spend their own money on campaigns preserve the state party’s meager resources.
There is a problem with this strategy. In this state, millionaire candidates, usually political novices, just don’t win. However, the Connecticut GOP is so wedded to this strategy; they just can’t break away from it. Witness the U.S. Senate candidacy of Linda McMahon, the former World Wrestling Entertainment executive who spent $50 million of her personal wealth in the 2010 Senate battle only to lose to Democrat Richard Blumenthal—and it wasn’t close.
As you probably know McMahon is back for another whack in this year’s U.S. Senate campaign to fill the seat going vacant with the retirement of Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT). She is the odds-on favorite to gain the GOP nomination.
Back in September, the Quinnipiac University Poll showed that despite her 2010 defeat, Connecticut Republicans still feel good about McMahon. In a mock matchup McMahon was favored by 15 percentage points over a challenger, former 4th District GOP Congressman Christopher Shays.
When the same poll matched McMahon against possible Democratic challengers former secretary of the state Susan Bysiewicz and 5th District Congressman Christopher Murphy she lost to both of them. However, Shays beat Bysiewicz by two points, and lost to Murphy by six points.
That survey is one of the reasons Shays officially launched his campaign for U.S. Senate last week, even if that bid is a rebellion against the GOP pattern of preferring wealthy contenders who will self-fund their campaigns.
In his announcement, Shays was careful not to paint McMahon as a loser, because he lost his own long-time congressional seat back in 2008. He was the last House Republican standing in New England.
Shays instead focused on the experience factor. McMahon likes to say, as a former corporate exec, she’d bring a fresh voice to the Senate. Reacting to Shays’ announcement Erin Isaac, McMahon’s Communications Director said: “Linda comes from the business world and will bring a different perspective to Washington—a perspective desperately needed.”
Shays sees it differently, stressing his knowledge of Washington. “I have the courage to stand up for what needs to be done,” said the ex-congressman, but I also have the knowledge and experience to know how to get it done, and a record of accomplishment you can rely on.” He took aim at Barack Obama on the same issue saying: “Three years ago America elected a President with no experience, and we are paying the price.”
Rob Simmons, the GOP ex-congressman who took on McMahon in the 2010 campaign, is supporting his former House colleague Shays this time around, and echoed Shays’ emphasis on experience. “When I fly on an airplane I want a pilot who has been in the cockpit before,” said Simmons. “I don’t want somebody who’s never done this before.”
Outlining his campaign, Shays said he wants to get back into elective politics because he’s “worried about our country’s future.” Said Shays: “The madness in Washington cannot continue. Washington is broken, the Senate isn’t working. Nothing is getting done.”
Shays said if elected, he would vote to repeal Obama’s health care program, push for a balanced federal budget, work to simplify the federal tax code, reduce government regulation, help to rebuild America’s infrastructure, and promote development of domestic oil and gas resources.
Shays wrapped himself in the symbols of the American Revolutionary War era. His announcement was delivered inside Hartford’s historic Old State House, and Shays noted his campaign headquarters in Stratford is in what was the home of William Samuel Johnson, one of the state’s first U.S. senators, and a framer of the U.S. Constitution.
“I am asking everyone of you, every single one of you, to join with me, in a revolution to get our country back on track, and our fellow Americans back to work,” Shays told his audience.
Beyond the verbal red, white, and blue, Shays must buckle down quickly if he wants to garner the Republican Senate nod. He did not mention the GOP nominating convention coming in May, apparently willing to accept McMahon will likely get the convention endorsement. He’s staking his campaign on taking things to a primary in August.
“I believe in democracy,” said Shays. “I believe a candidate for public office should be elected, not anointed,” he said, in a subtle reference to frontrunner McMahon. Shays is hoping Connecticut Republicans will think it through instead of handing the nomination to McMahon just because of her wealth.
Shays maintains he’s the best option the state GOP has if it wants to have a Republican U.S. Senator in Connecticut for the first time since 1988. “I can win the Republican primary in August,” said Shays, “and I can win the general election in November and that is what I am setting out to do.”
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