Blumenthal Holds Off McMahon in Contentious Senate Race

Update 11:30 p.m.

The band is winding down as supporters filter out of McMahon's election party 2010 site at the Connecticut Convention Center in downtown Hartford. They are disappointed overall with the race, but not their candidate.

A candidate who, several minutes after her concession speech, surprised the crowd by hopping onto a small stage that perhaps inadvertently – perhaps not – resembled a wrestling ring in front of a bank of TV newsmedia and told them she'd answer questions.

McMahon said she would not be returning to the WWE, though she was proud of her role in it. "No, you can't step out of WWE and expect to come back in, because it moves forward. And it moves forward at a great pace."

Asked whether she'd be up for another race in 2010 she said "Oh, I don't know."

It's that kind of energy that many here tonight appreciate about McMahon. Judy Allaire of Southington said she'd continue to follow Linda in her next step, whatever that may be. "She's got to get us back on the right boat."

Dave Moulton of Barkhamsted started out supporting McMahon's primary opponent Peter Schiff, but turned to her when she won that initial race.  He said he wouldn't heed her request to support Blumenthal.

"I totally disagree with it. I will never support a Democrat agenda, more taxes, more government," he said.

Update 10:45 p.m.

Surrounded by family, friends and a throng of supporters, a jubilant Richard Blumenthal thanked the voters of Connecticut late Tuesday evening for electing him to the U.S. Senate.

"I have something money can't buy," said Blumenthal, alluding to his opponent, wrestling executive Linda McMahon, who pledged to spend up to $50 million of her own money on the race. "And Connecticut today had an election, not an auction. To the people of Connecticut, I have a very simple message: thank you. Thank you for putting your trust, your confidence and your support in me."

After pledging to fight for middle-class tax cuts and promote legislation that helps small businesses and creates "green" job, Blumenthal waded into the crowd to shake hands with his many supporters.

"We have a lot of work to do, we have a lot of challenges ahead," Blumenthal said. "We're more than equal to them and, as a nation and a state, we need to continue these battles." 

Update 10:10 p.m.

McMahon officially concedes the race to Blumenthal, but says she's "not going to fade into the woodwork. You'll see me around." Striking a bipartisan note, McMahon asks her camp to support her former opponent. "We are all going to be supportive of our newly elected officials because we want them to succeed -- because if they succeed, we succeed."

Update 9:55 p.m.

As news of Blumenthal's still unofficial victory in the U.S. Senate race continues to spread, his campaign headquarters in Hartford is beginning to fill up with eager well wisher, like John Oczkowski, an East Hartford firefighter who said he voted for Blumenthal because he had met him personally several times through the years and liked his character.

"The guy's pretty straightforward," said Oczkowski. "You know where you stand with him."

Frank Alvarado, a retired member of the National Guard who runs a non-profit in New Haven, described himself as a Blumenthal supporter because Blumenthal has always supported veterans. Alvarado said he was troubled by the negative nature of McMahon's campaign.

"I think he won because of his name recognition and the 20 years of service that he's given to the state of Connecticut," said Alvarado. "I personally believe that if it wasn't for the issue with Vietnam, he would have walked away with it."

But Marge Keiser, a Pennsylvania resident who was in town for a medical analyst convention at the hotel and is not eligible to vote in Connecticut, said she was aware of the race because of the national media attention it received and would not have voted for Blumenthal because of his statements that he served in Vietnam.

"I'm biased," said Keiser. "I listen to Fox and I heard about the comments he made about Vietnam, saying that he was in Vietnam but he never actually was."

Linda Anderson, a Guilford resident who also attended the medical convention with Keiser and brought her to Blumenthal's celebration, said she voted for Blumenthal because of his tenure as attorney general.

"I thought he did a great job as attorney general," Anderson said. 

Update 9:48 p.m.

The McMahon camp is loading guests into the bleachers behind the podium at McMahon election headquarters, causing many to speculate she will be making an announcement soon. 

Update 9:10 p.m.

Although CNN, ABC News and the Associated Press have all called the race for Blumenthal, sources around Blumenthal's campaign headquarters at the Hilton Hartford Hotel are saying that the Democrat is waiting for McMahon to formally concede the race before making any official statement. A McMahon campaign spokesman told the crowd to hold on while staff is still collecting data.

Update 9:08

Without a concession speech, partiers at the McMahon camp are keeping the hope -- and the party alive. Supporters are milling about, drinking cocktails and listening to a cover band belt out tunes like "Sweet Home Alabama."

Richard and Janet Fournier of West Hartford won't believe it until McMahon officially concedes. The two are long-time McMahon supporters who were making calls on behalf of their candidate up until 7 p.m. tonight.

Susan Samela and her son Jeremiah, a WWE fan, said that they'd heard the news of Blumenthal's likely win, but were still enjoying the night.

Even if McMahon didn't win tonight, Samela said, "She's not going to go away."

Original Story

Democrat Richard Blumenthal defeated fellow Greenwich resident Republican Linda McMahon to capture the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Chris Dodd, according to CNN, ABC News and the Associated Press, concluding one of the most-watched and entertaining races of the 2010 midterm elections in Connecticut and throughout the United States.

McMahon and Blumenthal were both high-profile candidates bidding to replace longtime Democratic Sen. Dodd, who announced in January he would not seek re-election. McMahon built the hugely popular WWE wrestling empire with her husband, Vince McMahon, while Blumenthal has served as the state's aggressive and often well-liked Democratic attorney general for the past 21 years.

The vast amount of money involved in the race also turned heads nationally. As of Oct. 13, McMahon had spent $41.8 million, dwarfing Blumenthal's $6.2 million, according to Federal Election Commission data. McMahon's television and direct-mail ads blanketed the state throughout 2010.

Going into Election Day, a Quinnipiac University poll showed Blumenthal leading McMahon by nine points.