Connecticut: Himes Fundraises Off McMahon House Race Rumors
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., used the possibility of former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon running for Congress to bring in bucks on Thursday.
“She’s baaaaaaaaack,” read the email from Himes, who warned his supporters that the two-time Senate candidate could try to “buy” a House seat.
Local news outlets report that McMahon has continued to stay involved in local GOP politics since losing two Senate races. She’s scheduled to meet with top local party leadership this month, according to the Greenwich Time, and McMahon regularly updates her Facebook page for supporters. Connecticut Republicans have “quietly tried to gauge McMahon’s interest” in running for Himes’ 4th District seat, a source told local reporters late last month.
But a McMahon spokeswoman said “she has no plans to run for any office,” in response to an inquiry from CQ Roll Call about a future bid.
Such statements have not stopped Himes from fundraising off the possibility she might run against him.
“McMahon’s millions allow her to flood the airwaves, and there’s no telling how soon she could start,” Himes wrote in the email.
McMahon demonstrated a near limitless capacity to fund her campaigns in 2010 and 2012, when she spent a combined $100 million on two Senate bids.
Himes, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, is also strong fundraiser, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently named him the new national finance chairman. Last cycle, Himes raised about $3 million and had had about $760,000 in cash on hand for a relatively uncompetitive race.