Former Connecticut Congressman Rob Simmons has an early lead in the Republican primary race for the 2010 U.S. Senate contest and runs better than any other challenger against Sen. Christopher Dodd, topping the Democratic incumbent 49 – 38 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Former World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon gets 43 percent to Sen. Dodd’s 41 percent, the independent Quinnipiac University poll finds.
Even potential Republican contenders with almost no name recognition and almost no Republican primary voter support give Dodd a run for his money.
Simmons leads a Republican primary matchup with 28 percent, followed by McMahon with 17 percent. No other contender tops 9 percent and 36 percent are undecided.
Connecticut voters disapprove 54 – 40 percent of the job Dodd is doing, compared to a 49 – 43 percent disapproval September 17, and say 53 – 39 percent that he does not deserve reelection.
“After inching up in the polls for months, Sen. Christopher Dodd is sliding back down again on job approval. He continues to struggle with independent voters as 60 percent disapprove of the way he is handling his job. President Barack Obama is still popular with independents, but voters say that his support of Dodd won’t affect their Senate vote,” said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, PhD.
If McMahon spends millions of her own dollars to be elected U.S. Senator, 61 percent of voters say that means she is free of pressure from lobbyists and other special interests, while 29 percent say this gives her an unfair advantage and looks like she is buying the election.
Connecticut voters say 34 – 25 percent, with 41 percent undecided, that McMahon does not have the right kind of experience to be a U.S. Senator.
In an open-ended question, allowing for any answer, 33 percent of Connecticut voters say the economy is the most important issue in the 2010 Senate race, with another 30 percent who cite health care. No other issue tops 5 percent.
Dodd gets a negative 42 – 49 percent favorability from voters. Simmons gets a positive 40 – 10 percent favorability, with 49 percent who don’t know enough about him to form an opinion. For McMahon, 66 percent don’t know enough about her to form an opinion.
For other Republican contenders, the “don’t know enough” score is 74 percent or higher.
