Rob Simmons, the former GOP Congressman who represented Connecticut's 2nd Congressional district from 2001-2007, is planning on challenging incumbent Senator Chris Dodd in 2010.Simmons, who lost his reelection to the House by just 83 votes in 2006, is proclaiming that Chris Dodd needs to be "held accountable" for his hand in the financial crisis. Dodd, who serves as the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, has been blamed for taking heavy contributions from financial institutions which later received federal bailout funds, along with writing a provision which allowed CEO's to receive bonuses after having accepted bailout money.
Simmons represented most of eastern Connecticut, which is Democratic-leaning in voting trends. However, Simmons is a rare breed of moderate Republican, a dying force in New England, and has a history of splitting with the GOP on key issues such as abortion rights and the environment. His failure to win reelection in 2006 has been a factor that some Democratic activists have pointed out, saying the voters already rejected Simmons once, and he will be rejected again. But recent polling puts Simmons ahead of Dodd by double-digits.
Facing an uphill battle, Simmons must confront a tough primary battle against a current state representative. Simmons claims he "just wants to hold Chris Dodd accountable." With Simmons seeking to unseat Dodd (if he wins the primary battle within his own party):
- Would the victory of Simmons over Dodd be a reversal of the recent political trends seen in 2006 and 2008, or is this more of an individual constituency factor?
- Will Chris Dodd, a five-term Senator, really face a true challenge for reelection, or are the polling numbers bloated such as the early hypothetical match-ups of McCain v. Obama (showing McCain would win)?
- Can Simmons stand to be the beacon of hope that the GOP so desperately needs by unseating a long-term incumbent Democratic Senator in a left-leaning state?
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