Is Rob Simmons running for Senate or not? Given his new TV ad and the fact he’s refused to remove his name from the ballot, the obvious answer is yes. But he's trying to have it both ways: He wants to win Connecticut's Aug. 10 GOP primary, but he also doesn’t want to appear to be violating his May pledge to cease campaigning against rival Linda McMahon.
In an interview with the Hill’s Shane D’Aprile, Simmons insists he’s not technically running — even though he’s airing an ad reminding voters he’s on the GOP ballot.
The ad, Simmons insists, is purely a nod to supporters who still want him to run. But in a hint that this is really all about semantics, Simmons goes out of his way to mention that polls show him still competitive with Democrat Dick Blumenthal (but still losing), even though he hasn’t done any campaigning in two months.
Asked why he just doesn’t officially jump back in the race if he thinks he can win, Simmons tells the Hill it’s “because that doesn’t seem to fit based on what I’ve said and who I am.”
Simmons describes his new ad as a "public service announcement":