Linda McMahon is the former Chief Executive Officer of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).  The operation grew from a small 13-person operation into a global enterprise with over 500 employees and offices throughout the world. In 2009, she was appointed to the Connecticut Board of Education in large part due to her philanthropic work in education and other social causes.  McMahon along with the WWE have accepted awards and honors from the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, the Connecticut Grand Opera, the Special Olympics, Sacred Heart University, and the USO.

McMahon received her bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University.

Why She Wins our Endorsement
It is easy to dismiss McMahon due to her and her husband’s role in managing the WWE.  Watching wrestling can easily distract from the immense business success it has been over the years.  Linda McMahon is directly responsible for the enormous success of the WWE as a global corporation, which has created hundreds of jobs.  Aside from her private sector accomplishments, she has gone far and beyond her opponent in explaining her beliefs and views as well as extensively detailing her proposals for creating jobs, balancing the budget, improving health care, ensuring our national security, and a number of other issues.  Her knowledge, attention to detail, and record of getting things done are very impressive.  Although some may criticize this endorsement, McMahon is an impressive woman and would be a great addition to the U.S. Senate.

Election Battle
Connecticut is a blue state that has strongly supported the Democratic Party in statewide and Congressional races.  There are no Republicans in the Connecticut House delegation.  Connecticut supported Obama with 61% of the vote and Kerry with 54% of the vote.  The incumbent, Sen. Chris Dodd is retiring amid his connection to the banking collapse and the housing bubble.  McMahon faces Connecticut Attorney General Dick Blumenthal, a respected and well-liked candidate.  However, surveys tend to show most voters don’t know much about him or his positions.  Blumenthal is a career politician and liberal that fits the state fairly well in a normal election year.  However, Blumenthal’s lies about his service in Vietnam and his poor performances in debates and public appearances have significantly weakened him.  McMahon has to overcome the stigma of her involvement with professional wrestling and her lack of political experience. CQ Politics rates the race a toss up due to Blumenthal’s horrific public misstatements and poor campaigning of late.