In the Aug. 14 Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Connecticut, GOProud — the conservative gay group that endorsed Mitt Romney earlier this summer — is endorsing Linda McMahon over former Rep. Chris Shays.
McMahon, the World Wrestling Entertainment empresario, previously ran and lost in a Senate race against Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
In a statement announcing the endorsement, GOProud executive director Jimmy LaSalvia said, “What America needs now is a new direction and elected officials in Washington who understand how the free market works. Linda McMahon not only has the private sector experience, she has also proposed a plan that will help grow the economy, create jobs, and end our disastrous dependence on foreign oil.
"For Republicans — gay and straight — in Connecticut the choice for U.S. Senate is clear, we hope Republicans will go to the polls on August 14th and vote to nominate Linda McMahon for U.S. Senate," LaSalvia concluded.
Christopher R. Barron, chief strategist for GOProud, added, “Linda McMahon is a Washington-outsider, a woman who knows how to create jobs and grow successful businesses."
The winner of the Aug. 14 primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary, in which Rep. Chris Murphy leads former Connecticut secretary of the state Susan Bysiewicz. The seat is open due to the retirement of Independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman.
[Correction: The original information provided by GOProud contained the wrong date for the Connecticut primary. The story has been updated with the correct date.]