McMahon up two on Simmons in internal poll

Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon leads former Rep. Rob Simmons 37-35 in the Republican Senate primary in Connecticut, according to a poll conducted for her campaign.

The Moore Information poll shows McMahon with a 52 percent favorability among GOP primary voters and just seven percent unfavorable. It does not include favorability numbers for Simmons.

The poll comes after a few weeks of tough press for McMahon, as reporters began delving into a long history of drug problems in the wrestling industry. Her survey shows no big jump in her unfavorables, Which Quinnipiac put at 5 percent last month.

Instead, the poll shows McMahon increasing her name recognition and creating a tie ballgame with Simmons, which is where we expected this primary to go.

UPDATE 2:00 p.m.: Simmons's camp points to a push-polling controversy involving Moore Information from a couple of years ago.

“Linda McMahon continues to strain credibility, this time by touting the dubious results of an internal poll paid for by her campaign and conducted by the nation’s most notorious push pollster," Simmons campaign manager Jim Barnett said. "Just like she says of her pro wrestling career, this poll should be considered as ‘entertainment’ only, not reality."