Failed Connecticut GOP Senate candidate Linda McMahon hinted Thursday that she might be back on the ticket in 2012, this time seeking to take down independent incumbent Sen. Joe Lieberman, who caucuses with Democrats.
"I'm not taking anything off the table," she said in a recent interview taping.
McMahon lost to Democrat Richard Blumenthal earlier this month in a close race after spending more than $50 million on her campaign, a venture that she recently claimed she had no regrets about. She may be seeking to spend additional money (although not as much as in 2010) in a potential quest for Lieberman's Senate seat in 2012, a contest that many see as up in the air.
Lieberman is considered to be in a weak position entering a possible 2012 run for reelection. It is quite possible that he could face strong challenges from both the right and left if he attempts to win another term as senator.
Dennis House of Connecticut's WFSB-TV lays down some promising signs for McMahon:
While McMahon was vague about her future, it is clear she is optimistic about her chances. She did better than any Republican in a Connecticut senate race since Lowell Weicker, and got more votes than Lamont got in 2006, more than Lieberman, too. McMahon also told me her campaign "energized" the Republican party, and points to her party's gains in the General Assembly. Hartford Courant columnist Kevin Rennie said McMahon has built up plenty of goodwill in the party, and that could aid her in '12.
McMahon is planning to run a one-day ad campaign next week thanking her supporters for their votes, and perhaps reminding Connecticut that she is not out of politics.