Time and time again in their first debate throw-down Sunday, Democrat Chris Murphy said that a vote for self-identified pro-choice Republican Linda McMahon will enable the far right in Washington, D.C., to assault the reproductive rights of women.
McMahon, who a new Quinnipiac University poll shows trailing Murphy by 6 percentage points among likely female voters, released a rebuttal ad today that seeks to burnish her credibility with women.
The 30-second spot features testimonials from six females, two of them minorities, touting McMahon as an independent-minded candidate who will stand up for a woman’s right to choose.
The line-up of speakers includes Darien First Selectman Jayme Stevenson and Kathy McShane, a marketing professional from New Canaan who is chair of the Women for Linda Coalition, a volunteer position.
Without mentioning World Wrestling Entertainment, now the WWE, by name, the speakers tell viewers that McMahon’s employees had “excellent” health care coverage that provided for birth control and mammograms.
McMahon has invested significant time and resources courting women after losing the female vote 60 to 40 percent in 2010, when she was defeated by Democrat Richard Blumenthal.
During a joint appearance with U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., last Monday in Norwalk, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee alluded to McMahon’s need to make inroads with women.
“I think that, I’ll give you a little straight talk, we need to do better with the women’s vote,” McCain said. “We need to better with the women’s vote in Connecticut. We need to better with the women’s vote all over our national elections.”