The following is a new article from the NBC Connecticut website:
Simmons Jumps Back Into Senate Race
By LEANNE GENDREAU
Former Congressman Rob Simmons is officially back in the race for U.S. Senate after “curtailing†his campaign in May.
Simmons participated in a debate at Trinity College in Hartford on Tuesday night and made his announcement.
“I am running for the United States Senate,” he said during opening remarks, according to the Day of New London.
When Simmons said he was curtailing his campaign, he said his name would remain on the ballot but he would not actively run. But, he recently started running ads in which he reminded voters that his name is still on the ballot, raising questions about the status of his campaign.
On Tuesday night, those questions were answered.
When asked, Simmons denied he was restarting his campaign and called the ad a “public service announcement,” but clearly stated during the debate that he’s running.
Simmons, a Republican, will face former WWE CEO Linda McMahon and financier Peter Schiff in the August primary.
McMahon called Simmons an “erratic semi-candidate.”
Schiff told the Day he believes Simmons’ strategy, all along, was to leave his name on the ballot and eventually get back into the race.
“We’ll see if it works,” Schiff told the newspaper said. “But he had a very well-financed opponent and it’s difficult to combat her. I’m in the same predicament.”
The Center for Responsive Politics Web site shows that McMahon had raised $22.1 million and spent almost $18.9 million, as of June 30, Simmons raised $3 million and spent $2.1 and Schiff raised $3 million and spent $2.5 million. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, the Democratic party nominee, has raised almost $3.5 million and spent almost $1.4 million.
Keep up on this story and McMahon’s senate race at NBCConnecticut.com.
