Connecticut race tight with 20 days to go
Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut is retiring at the end of this term, and both McMahon and Murphy are seeking to replace him.
October 17th, 2012
12:39 PM ET
10 years ago

Connecticut race tight with 20 days to go

(CNN) - The U.S. Senate race out of Connecticut is all tied up between Rep. Chris Murphy, the Democrat, and Linda McMahon, the Republican, a new poll shows.

The two are vying to replace the retiring Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent Democrat, who is retiring this year after this fourth term in the upper chamber.

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Murphy has a two point advantage over McMahon among likely voters, 46% to 44%, in the Siena College Research Institute poll, although the difference is very much inside of the sampling error, which is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

The survey's authors note that both candidates have a higher unfavorable rating than favorable rating. Nearly five in 10 likely voters view McMahon unfavorably, compared to her 41% favorability rating. Murphy scores 45% unfavorable to 36% favorable.

McMahon is a former wrestling executive who sought a Senate seat in 2010 but lost. Murphy is in his third term in Congress and represents a district which includes Western Connecticut.

Lieberman lost the Democratic primary for re-election to his seat in 2006, then won the general election as an independent.

Although the U.S. Senate race is tight, President Barack Obama has a significant lead in Connecticut over GOP nominee Mitt Romney in the race for the White House.

He leads Romney 53% to 38%, although the 15 point lead is less than his 23 point win over Sen. John McCain there in 2008. Obama's showing there is no surprise: the blue state's 7 electoral votes is rated as safe for Obama on the CNN Electoral Map.

The Rothenberg Political Report rates the Senate race as leaning in Murphy's direction, while the Cook Political Report says the state is a toss up. Both are non-partisan political race analysts.

The poll included 552 likely voters in Connecticut reached by telephone between October 4 and 14.


Filed under: 2012 • Chris Murphy • Connecticut • Linda McMahon
soundoff (9 Responses)
  1. truth hurts

    Hopefully the people of Connecticut don't send anymore crazy progressives to Congress. We don't need more of them to drive this country even further to the left. I'm sure the Republican candidate is closer to Liebermann than the Democrat.

    October 17, 2012 12:47 pm at 12:47 pm |
  2. Barry

    There is no way McMahon can win CT. She is another rich out of touch woman who onlt thinks of the rich. She is for the rich by the rich and of the rich.. Simple...

    October 17, 2012 12:48 pm at 12:48 pm |
  3. UBS, WILLARD & THE 4000+ AMERICAN AMNESTY DEAL

    McMahon failed four years ago, and she'll fail again this time around. These corporatists belong in board rooms, not in Congress.

    October 17, 2012 12:48 pm at 12:48 pm |
  4. Chat Pata

    This is one fight Linda McMohan has to fight without first scripting it in her favor. If Jesse Ventura was fighting her, I would have gladly donated a huge sum for him.

    October 17, 2012 01:08 pm at 1:08 pm |
  5. Chat Pata

    1/2 of Sore-Loserman-2000, who needs you? Just go away you turncoat.

    October 17, 2012 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |
  6. PoBoy

    Why in the world would anyone in CT want to put Linda McMahon in the Senate? This shouldn't even be close.

    October 17, 2012 01:12 pm at 1:12 pm |
  7. Gurgyl

    CT, just get rid off this old junk....

    October 17, 2012 01:29 pm at 1:29 pm |
  8. Wire Palladin, S. F

    I think America will benefit from Lieberman no longer being in the senate.

    October 17, 2012 01:33 pm at 1:33 pm |
  9. Buckeye

    Linda is showing her incompetence by suggesting a new rape term: emergency rape. The GOP loves to have various kinds of rape: forcible, legitimate, easy, and now emergency. Party of neanderthals (including the women candidates).

    Now as far as other McMahon gems: she doesn't know what she means by saying that there should be sunset provisions for Soc Sec, and she believes there is a federal law in place PROTECTING gay marriage. CT can and should do better than sending some clueless wrasslin lady who appears to have been hit over the head too many times with metal folding chairs.

    October 17, 2012 01:39 pm at 1:39 pm |