Rumors that incumbent U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd would consider getting back into the race after announcing his retirement in January are just that rumors.
In Hartford Monday to promote the passage of the financial reform bill which is headed to conference committee Dodd laughed off the suggestion saying, “No, no, no.”
Dodd said not having to campaign these past few months has certainly “lightened the load,” for him as he worked toward passage of both national health care reform bill and financial reform bill, which is headed to conference committee.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who announced that same day back in January that he would run for Dodd’s seat, finally apologized Monday for several instances in which he has stated that he served “in Vietnam” during the war, rather than as a stateside Marine Corps reserve.
Dodd defended Blumenthal Monday.
“His record of service to our state certainly outweighs the misstatements he has acknowledged and apologized for,” Dodd said. “I take some interest in the person that will succeed me and I can’t think of a better legacy I could have in the Senate than to have Dick Blumenthal follow me in that job.”
An internal poll conducted May 19-20 and paid for by Blumenthal’s campaign found that he, “withstood the attacks of the past week very well.”
“Blumenthal maintains strong standing and holds a wide margin over McMahon as a result of his strong record and deep connection to the people of Connecticut, who know him best,” the polling firm of Greenberg Quilan Rosner Research concluded.
“In a head to head matchup against McMahon, Blumenthal holds a 15-point lead, 55 –40 percent,“ the pollsters found. “Blumenthal has deep support among Democrats and holds an 11-point lead among unaffiliated voters, 52 – 41 percent. In addition, Blumenthal peels off nearly one-fourth of Republican voters with 23 percent—much higher than candidates typically tend to attract from their opponents’ base.”