Former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons has made a decent showing in recent polls of the U.S. Senate race, despite having dismantled his campaign in May.On Wednesday the Republican decided to begin acting like a candidate in his party's Aug. 10 primary, agreeing to a debate and, more significantly, launching a modest statewide advertisement.
"It's really out of loyalty to his supporters and folks who indicated they wished they had an opportunity to support him," said Eric Janney, Simmons' campaign manager.
Simmons, despite a lengthy record of public service, in late May lost his party's nomination to political newcomer Linda McMahon, whose family runs Stamford-based World Wrestling Entertainment.
Simmons had initially pledged to live with the convention results, but after earning 46 percent of the delegate votes -- more than enough to qualify for the Aug. 10 primary -- he told reporters he would continue the fight for the nomination.
A few days later, he announced that his name would appear on the ballot, but he had decided he could not compete with the wealthy McMahon's self-funded campaign and was releasing his staff and curtailing campaign activities.
But since then, Simmons, who waged a bitter pre-convention battle with McMahon, attacking her family's sometimes-controversial business, has sent signals he has been having second thoughts about his decision.
"He found there are lots and lots of folks that say `Gosh, I wish you were still involved, still running' and he says `You know I'm on the ballot still' and they say `No, I didn't realize that,' " Janney said.
Over the past week, two polls -- by Quinnipiac University and Rasmussen Reports -- showed that in a match with Democratic nominee Richard Blumenthal, Simmons trailed McMahon by 2 percentage points despite her aggressive advertising campaign.
"In our opinion, we're on even footing with Mrs. McMahon as it relates to how one candidate would do against Blumenthal versus another," Janney said.
But the Quinnipiac poll also showed McMahon leading Simmons among likely primary voters, 52 to 25 percent.
It was another primary opponent -- economist Peter Schiff, of Weston, who petitioned his way onto Aug. 10 ballot -- whose campaign Wednesday first broke the news Simmons had decided to be more proactive.
Schiff has been pressuring McMahon to face him in at least one public debate before Aug. 10. On Wednesday, he announced he and Simmons had agreed to face off on July 27 before the Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations.
"It's too bad Linda won't be joining Rob and I," Schiff said.
Soon afterward, Simmons' camp announced it had spent $350,000 to produce and air a television ad.
According to the transcript, the ad does not mention McMahon, Schiff or Blumenthal.
Instead Simmons talks about how "bailouts and tax increases have crippled the economy and cost us jobs" and reinforces his support for a strong national security and veterans affairs.
"In the Republican primary on Aug. 10, you do have a choice," Simmons says in the ad. "I'm Rob Simmons, I'm still on the ballot, and I approved this message."
McMahon spokesman Ed Patru, in a statement, said Simmons, since losing the nomination, has "been engaged in a very strange and erratic effort to reconcile his promise not to run with his desire to return to Washington. Today, we are as confused as everyone else."
But, Patru added, "should he decide to officially un-curtail his campaign, we're prepared for that."
Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy said: "Rob Simmons is a candidate; he's on the ballot, and he's free to do what he pleases."
Ben Davol, a contributing columnist to The Day of New London who has worked for numerous Republican campaigns, including Simmons' 2000 race, said he thinks the candidate "has been very conflicted by what consultants say and what friends say."
State Rep. Fred Camillo, R-Greenwich, a Simmons backer who, following the convention, endorsed McMahon, agreed.
"He has a lot of supporters, a lot of admirers and I'm sure they're giving him an earful," Camillo said. "And it plays on you. You're questioning `Am I letting people down?' I think that probably has a lot to do with this."
But Camillo said he promised McMahon his vote and is going to keep that promise.
"I really do respect and like Rob a lot," Camillo said. "I can't go back on my word."
State House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, also backed Simmons at the convention and has so far declined to publicly support McMahon.
Cafero said it is logical for Simmons to look at recent polls and conclude he has a chance of convincing the GOP to choose him as the best candidate to battle the still-popular Blumenthal.
"But whoever wins on Aug. 10 has to be ready on Aug. 11," Cafero said. "If you do win it, how can you hope to compete when you have not raised money for two months and to my knowledge do not have a field organization? I'm not sure it's enough time to accomplish goal one and have a Republican win in the general election."
Davol said, from the start, Simmons has poorly managed this primary, arguing the candidate could "have easily said I can't match Mrs. McMahon dollar for dollar, so I'll continue to campaign in a scaled back mode and as things roll along I'll see what resources I have and at some point we'll try to re-engage."
To beat McMahon on Aug. 10, Davol said Simmons "needs to catch lightning in a bottle."
"And as of right now, he doesn't really have a bottle to catch lighting in," Davol said. "That bottle is created by telling people who he is and what he's going to do and I haven't seen that yet."
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