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Linda McMahon Still a Republican Fundraising Heavyweight

Two failed Senate runs haven't slowed down ex-WWE executive

Connecticut's Linda McMahon came up short in her races for the Senate in 2010 and 2012. (CQ Roll Call file photo)
Connecticut's Linda McMahon came up short in her races for the Senate in 2010 and 2012. (CQ Roll Call file photo)

Former WWE executive Linda McMahon may have been pinned for the three-count twice in failed runs for the Senate from Connecticut but she hasn’t tapped out when it comes to fundraising for Republicans.

The Center for Responsive Politics ranks McMahon and her husband, WWE CEO Vince McMahon, 78th on its list of so-called “mega-donors,” the AP reported. Linda McMahon said that she has made most of the couple’s contributions and that her husband wants “no part of it.”

During the presidential primaries, McMahon gave $10,000 to a super PAC affiliated with fellow former businesswoman Carly Fiorina and $550,000 to America Leads, a super PAC affiliated with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

McMahon lost races for Senate in 2010 and 2012 to Connecticut’s current Democratic senators, Richard Blumenthal and Christopher S. Murphy respectively.

[Failed but Not Forgotten, Linda McMahon Keeps Hand in GOP]

Recently, McMahon held a fundraiser at her Connecticut home on behalf of Arizona Sen. John McCain. She is also supporting Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and Rep. Todd Young, who is running for Senate in Indiana.

WWE has occasionally tangled with politics: WWE Hall of Famer and 16-time world champion Ric Flair supported Mike Huckabee for president in 2008 and considered running for governor of North Carolina. Former world champion Kurt Angle also supported Sen. Marco Rubio for president this year.

[Connecticut’s Linda McMahon Thinks Trump Can Do What She Couldn’t: Win]

WWE Hall of Famer Jesse Ventura famously ran for and won his race for governor of Minnesota in 1998 as a Reform Party candidate. He served a single term. 

Of course, the McMahons also have a longstanding relationship with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who hosted two Wrestlemanias and in 2007, engaged in a “Battle of the Billionaires” in which the real estate mogul shaved Vince McMahon’s head. Linda said that while Trump wasn’t her first choice for president, she supports him now.

McMahon said she has no plans to run for office again, but she added, “One never says never.” 

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