Poll: McMahon's Lead Over Simmons Widens

A poll released today shows former World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon pulling away from Rob Simmons, her closest opponent in the Republican primary race for US Senate. The Quinnipiac University poll indicates McMahon now has a 50 - 28 percent lead over Simmons. Peter Schiff trails with 15 percent. As recently as August 4, McMahon led Simmons by 47 - 30 percent. 

As of today, seven percent of Republicans likely to vote are undecided. Of those who indicated a preference for one or the other candidate, 30 percent said they might change their mind before voting tomorrow.

Sean McCoy, a spokesman for McMahon's campaign attributes some of the movement to attack ads run by McMahon's opponents.

"As we've seen Rob Simmons and Peter Schiff attack Linda, these attacks have backfired," McCoy said. "Folks are tired of politics as usual. As a result Linda is going to do very well tomorrow.

McMahon is spending the last full day before the primaries meeting with prospective voters in coffee shops across the state, said McCoy. 

"At this point I think the race is all about turnout. We want to make sure our supporters get out to the polls and vote," he said.

Jen Millikin, Communications Director for Peter Schiff, said the campaign is staying focused. "Peter's been on a bus tour for the last two weeks," she said.  "We've raised $200,000 in the last two weeks. We feel good. Polls aside, we feel good."

Calls to Rob Simmons' campaign headquarters were not immediately returned.

From August 3 - 8, Quinnipiac University surveyed 664 Connecticut Republican likely primary voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percentage points and 464 Democratic likely primary voters with a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points. These likely voters were selected from lists of people who have voted in past elections.