Democrat Murphy topples self-funder McMahon in Connecticut Senate race

Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy has won the race for Senate in Connecticut, according to projections from multiple news sources, keeping the seat in Democratic hands.

Murphy defeated second-time Republican candidate Linda McMahon for the seat in a race that — largely due to McMahon's vast personal wealth — became one of the most expensive in the nation.

She contributed more than $40 million to her own campaign, raising a little more than $1 million from outside donors, and out-raising Murphy by more than 4-to-1 for the cycle. McMahon now holds the record for most personal money spent trying to win a federal seat — according to The New York Times, she has now spent nearly $100 million on her two failed Senate bids.

Though the former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO lost her first bid by double digits in 2010, she ran a stronger campaign this year, working early to shore up her deficit in support among women and to define Murphy before he could get on the air.

McMahon has attacked him for what she deemed a “sweetheart deal” on a loan Murphy received, and has accused him of being a career politician.

Democrats, in turn, have worked to make particularly lascivious WWE sketches an issue in the race, arguing that McMahon made millions from unsavory performances while failing to offer fair benefits to her workers.

McMahon led Murphy in a few early polls, something she was never able to do during her first bid against Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D), which boosted Republican hopes in the state. But it seems that Connecticut’s Democratic leanings were again too much for McMahon to overcome.

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