Shays officially announces Senate bid

AP Modified

Updated: Jan 25, 2012 5:56 PM

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH/AP) — Former Connecticut U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays formally announced Wednesday that he is a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, joining four others seeking the GOP nomination.

Shays said told a crowd of about 200 at the Old State House in downtown Hartford he wants to put "the country back on track and our fellow Americans back to work."

Shays' top competition for the GOP endorsement is wealthy former wrestling executive Linda McMahon. There are three other Republicans and three Democrats also hoping to fill the seat now held by the retiring U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent.

"I believe in Democracy," said Shays. "I believe a candidate for public office should be elected, not anointed."

The crowd ate that line up, an obvious dig at Linda McMahon.

Shays, 67, made his announcement a few minutes away from the State Capitol complex where he served as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1975-1987. Shays later went on to win a special election in the 4th Congressional District, filling the vacancy caused by the death of U.S. Rep. Stewart B. McKinney.

He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from August 1987 until January 2009. He lost the seat to Democrat Jim Himes in the 2008 election.

Shays has touted his legislative experience in his pitches to Republican town committees, reminding the GOP faithful that he doesn't need "on the job training" and has had a reputation for being an independent voice and for not always following his party in lock-step.

"There is no time for on the job training," Shays said. "We need who is ready on day one."

The former congressman actually filed paperwork to run on Oct. 3, after finishing his work as co-chairman of the federal Commission on Wartime Contracting. Since then, he has been on the campaign trail, but said he wanted to first put together a campaign staff, office and website before he formally announced his candidacy.

Shays has so far raised a total of $522,145, which includes $422,145 from donors and a $100,000 loan from Shays and his wife Betsi.

McMahon spent about $50 million of her own money on the 2010 race to fill the seat vacated by former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd. McMahon ultimately lost to Democrat Richard Blumenthal.

Other Republican candidates in the race include Hartford attorney Brian K. Hill; Southbury attorney Kie Westby and Fairfield attorney Peter Lumaj.

McMahon formally announced in Southington at a business that manufactured custom-built coil processing machines. It was an opportunity for her to highlight her business experience as the former CEO of the WWE.

"I believe we need people with business experience," she said. "We didn't accomplish that the last time around."

Shays has called McMahon's business "soft-core porn," prompting criticism from the WWE.

"Keep it to the facts. Keep it to the issues," said Jerry Labriola, the Chairman of the Connecticut Connecticut Republicans. "Try to avoid exaggerations and innuendos that could undermine the chances for our party in November."

The McMahon campaign is aiming to do to Shays the same thing they did to Republican Congressman Rob Simmons two years ago, shut him out at the party convention in May.

"I'm sure that that's what they will try to do, but bear in mind, Dick Blumenthal had it right; 'This is an election, not an auction,'" Simmons said.

Her campaign has already announced that 65 local Republican town chairs have endorsed her for the nomination, but Simmons and the Shays campaign say things have changed this time.

"She has demonstrated that 50 million dollars, the most expensive race in the country, and history, does not buy a senate seat," Simmons said.

Shays pointed to McMahon's 138,000 vote loss to Dick Blumenthal in 2010 as a clear reason Republicans will support him this time.

"They took a chance with Linda McMahon and failed seriously, so, I think that some people have learned their lesson," Shays said.
     
On the Democratic side, everyone expects a primary between Congressman Chris Murphy and former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewiez. Stamford State Rep William Tong is also hoping to compete.       
         
The last polling on the race showed Shays weak in the primary against McMahon, but a strong opponent against either of the leading Democrats in the final election.

Copyright 2012 AP Modified. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Political Pulse