Political Capitol

I wrote a piece for today’s newspapers about concern within Republican Rob Simmons’ Senate campaign and among some Simmons supporters that state GOP Chairman Chris Healy is backing Linda McMahon for the nomination.

One might assume as party chairman it’s Healy’s job to do whatever he thinks is necessary for the best candidate to emerge, particularly this year, when the GOP has an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone – Capture retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd’s seat after three decades and end the political career of the Democrat who wants to succeed Dodd, long-time state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

But Healy is supposed to be the honest broker in the ongoing nomination battle between McMahon and Simmons as they head toward the May convention.

He spent quite a bit of time on the phone with me Sunday morning discussing the matter and answering my questions. Although he said he asked Simmons a few weeks ago, at the request of others within the party, to instead consider running for the Congressional seat he lost in 2006, Healy denied attempting to influence delegates to favor a particular candidate.

“If you can find me a delegate – since most have not even been chosen yet. Let’s take state Central (Committee) members who are super-delegates. If you can find me one on or off the record who will tell you they’ve had a conversation with me about this race, then I’ll quit. In terms of me saying ‘switch’ or ‘you should vote for Linda’. That’s ridiculous,” Healy said.

It was a strong statement, indicating either A.) Healy is telling the truth or B.) Healy is confident none of his private conversations with fellow Republicans will be leaked to the press.

Well, a member of the state Central Committee called me and had this to say.

“I received a call from Chris Healy trying to persuade me that Linda was the better candidate,” this individual said. “I believe his argument is because she has the funding to fight whatever her opponent puts out about her and she is in fact a better campaigner and more savvy individual.”

McMahon’s family founded and continues to run Stamford-based World Wrestling Entertainment and she is self-funding her campaign

So, I found at least one state Central Committee member willing to talk. True, they did not want their name in print, but that wasn’t part of Healy’s challenge.

Of course Healy can always argue this individual misunderstood his motives or misinterpreted his comments or has an ax to grind.

Are there more of you out there? If so, it’s not hard to get in touch with me.

UPDATE: Healy e-mailed me the following response:

“Again, any discussions with anyone were speculative and a normal conversation people have about candidates and races. That’s what local town chairmen and state chairmen do. I never nor could I ask anyone to support one candidate over another. If any person inferred that, it was a mistaken impression. If you take it to its logical conclusion how and why would any chairman do this with any practical result knowing it would become a controversy and unproductive?”