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Cartier,McMahon,Davenport
To a background of “The Final Countdown” and the country song “Redneck Woman,” Linda McMahon summoned “girl power” on the shoreline hours before the polls opened on her $40-plus million quest to win a U.S. Senate seat. About 250 supporters filled the parking lot in front of 51 Whitfield St. in Guilford, waving signs that read “Women for Linda” and wearing pins with “No Blumen Way,” at a rally hosted by the Cindy Cartier campaign.
“I’ve been told I don’t have support from women voters,” McMahon told the crowd, generating a loud “no!” and much “Women for Linda” sign waving.
Polls show that women are the bloc of voters potentially holding McMahon back from becoming Connecticut’s first female U.S. senator. Polls show the Republican candidate with a slight lead among males over Democratic candidate Richard Blumenthal but a double-digit deficit among females.
Lisa Davenport, who is running against incumbent State Sen. Ed Meyer, and Cartier, who is running against incumbent State Rep. Pat Widlitz, joined McMahon on stage in the chilly night air.
“It’s all about women,” said Cartier, “and Linda’s gotten so much support from Lisa and I.”
“They’re the girl power of the Republican Party,” said Republican Town Committee member John Trotta.
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Cartier,Davenport, McMahon
McMahon argued that her background strengthens her candidacy. “It’s about being a different kind of senator with a different kind of experience,” she said.
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Jerry Labriola, (pictured), the Republican running against incumbent U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, opened the rally with “We just did a bar run — I’m a man of the people!” The crowd went wild.
“Unaffiliated voters here are breaking to the Republican side in a late way.” Labriola said.
“Our gubernatorial candidate is peaking at the right time,” he said, “and Linda is gapping forward.”
“We have to leave behind the arrogance and contempt for the will of the people,” Cartier argued, “because that is what’s going on in Hartford.”
[Correction: An earlier version of this story inaccurately attributed a comment from a member in the crowd to one of the candidates.]
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“We the people do not obey our government,” Davenport said. “Our government listens to us — standing in front of you are three women who believe that to the core of their being.”
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