Former pro wrestling executive Linda McMahon is leading Republican opponents in her second attempt to win a U.S. Senate seat. McMahon leads former Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., 51-42 percent, according to a new
Quinnipiac University poll.
However, McMahon, who lost her first attempt to win a Senate seat by 11 points in 2010, fares poorly against Democrats seeking the open seat.
Rep. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn, leads in the Democratic primary with 37 percent, followed by former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz with 25 percent and State Rep. William Tong with 4 percent.
According to the poll, Murphy would defeat McMahon, 52-37 percent, and Bysiewicz would win, 49-39 percent. McMahon would defeat Tong, 43-39 percent.
Shays, who has closed the gap with McMahon, would run neck-and-neck with Murphy and Bysiewicz; the poll shows that Shays trails Murphy by a point, and leads Bysiewicz by a point. Shays has a 25-point lead over Tong.
"Congressman Christopher Shays has narrowed the gap with Linda McMahon from 15 points to 9 points. The question is whether he can catch up by primary day, Aug. 14," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz.
"In general election matchups, Shays runs neck and neck with either Congressman Christopher Murphy or Susan Bysiewicz, while McMahon trails both of them by double digits.”
The seat is currently held by independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, who is not seeking re-election.
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