Former Rep. Rob Simmons dropped out of the Republican primary for Chris Dodd’s Senate seat this week — but he’s not about to throw his support behind the presumptive GOP candidate.
Simmons told National Review Online today that he doesn’t think Linda McMahon can win.
“No, I don’t think so at all,” he said. And he’s not looking to stump for her, either:
And if McMahon asks Simmons for help on the trail, he says he’ll say he is “preoccupied.”
Simmons announced Tuesday that he would drop out of the race. Over the weekend, the state Republican party chose McMahon as their endorsed nominee. Simmons received enough delegate votes to force a primary and initially said he would.
McMahon will face Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in November. Blumenthal is still the favorite, despite a scandal over how he’s presented his military service. He’s had to apologize for suggesting that he served in the Vietnam War, when in reality he was never sent overseas.
Simmons’ dropping out was a surprise move. Many thought that Simmons, a Vietnam veteran with two Bronze Stars, would get a leg up from Blumenthal’s admission.
Another Republican, Peter Schiff, is still in the race. He didn’t get enough votes at the GOP convention to force a primary, but he has said he’ll get enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
McMahon’s campaign did not immediately return a request for comment.
