CONNECTICUT: Wrestling Maven Linda McMahon Buys GOP Senate Primary Win

Tea Party candidate and pro wrestling jillionaire Linda McMahon won today's GOP Senate primary in Connecticut after outspending her moderate opponent by 12-1.

In defeating Christopher Shays, a former United States representative and longtime fixture in moderate politics in the state, Ms. McMahon underscored the power of being an outside candidate, as well as a wealthy one. She outspent her opponent nearly 12 to 1, and flooded the airwaves with advertisements promoting herself as a political maverick who could bring common sense to Washington. It appeared that Mr. Shays, who held his House seat for two decades before losing his bid to keep it in 2008, was tripped up by the Washington experience and centrist viewpoints that once made him one of the more popular Republicans in a left-leaning state.

In 2010 McMahon spent an estimated $50M of her own money in her losing campaign against now Sen. Richard Blumenthal. This time she will face three-term U.S. House Rep. Chris Murphy, who is making his first Senate bid. Both are vying for the seat opened by the retirement of Joe Lieberman.