Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told reporters earlier today that allegations that Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D) misrepresented his Vietnam record is “quite a blow” to his Senate candidacy and may help Republicans pick up the seat.
Blumenthal is running to replace retiring Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT).
“It sounds like quite a blow to his candidacy,” Cornyn said. “Obviously he enjoys–has enjoyed–high approval ratings. He’s relatively unknown in the political process. I would say, having been an attorney general myself, it is a transition to go from AG to a run for the United States Senate. But I’m anxious to hear what his explanation is because I heard him on YouTube and of course broadcast on television, claiming to have served in Vietnam, and if that proves not to he true, then I think he’s got quite an apology to make.”
Asked whether this puts the seat in play in a way that it wasn’t before, Cornyn said:
I think so. I mean I always felt like there was still a reasonably good chance of picking up Connecticut. This certainly makes those prospects better.
The TPM Poll Average shows Blumenthal with big leads in the general election over each of his potential Republican opponents: 52.6% to 37.9% over Linda McMahon, 54.9% to 30.4% over Peter Schiff and 54.1% to 33.7% over Rob Simmons.
Reporting by Brian Beutler.
