CONNECTICUT UPSET? – AT 11:01 A.M. ET:  When do we ever get good political news from Connecticut, the bluest of blue states, Massachusetts in miniature, where the fashionable set in Greenwich and Westport rush to liberal meetings at night to "give back"?  There may be some coming up.  From The Wall Street Journal:

A wise woman once said that the best defense is a good offense. And so it seems in Connecticut these days, where the U.S. Senate race between Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy and Republican Linda McMahon has unexpectedly begun to tilt Ms. McMahon's way. On Thursday, the Cook Political Report re-categorized the race for the seat held by retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman as "toss up" from "likely Democrat."

Democrats are hopping mad about Ms. McMahon's campaign, which they say is up to dirty tricks with a negative ads criticizing Mr. Murphy. The barrage of campaign spots is "trying to change her image into this nice lovable woman," Connecticut Democratic Party Chairman Nancy DiNardo said yesterday, instead of the tough-as-nails former Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment CEO that she is.

But maybe women actually like both.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll last month, Mr. Murphy had the support of 46% of likely voters while Ms. McMahon had 49%. Especially notable has been Ms. McMahon's pulling close to even among women voters, where Democrats traditionally dominate. Women's groups like NARAL and the National Organization for Women have been aghast at the possibility that Connecticut moms might actually like the idea of Ms. McMahon's no-nonsense style for their state.

The groups have criticized Ms. McMahon on the roster of traditional "female" issues like reproductive policy, but that dated argument may not be the top priority for women in the state. For starters, unemployment in Connecticut is 8.5%, exceeding the 8.1% national average. Also, the Hartford Business Journal has reported that woman-owned businesses have soared in Connecticut since the 1990s, growing by 17.3% to 92,200 workers in 2011—more than twice the national rate.

COMMENT:  That is great.  Go Linda!  Pin him to the mat!

September 16, 2012