Linda McMahon isn’t convinced that human activity is a cause of climate change.
“I think the science behind climate change is evolving and has yet to be totally confirmed for me,” McMahon said Monday. “Do we human beings emit carbon into the atmosphere? Sure, we do.”
But McMahon, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, said she is unsure of its significance – a stance that puts her at odds with the Democratic nominee, Richard Blumenthal.
According to his campaign, Blumenthal “recognizes the overwhelming scientific consensus that significant climate disruption is occurring as the result of human activity, and that we must act to confront this challenge and preserve our environment.”
As far as solutions?
Neither supports “cap-and-trade” or any other form of a carbon tax that would make alternative energy sources more economically competitive.
Each marched Monday in the Labor Day parade in Newtown.
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While the candidates steered clear of each other, their supporters engaged in some impromptu exchanges on the parade route.
After dozens of Blumenthal supporters chanted his name, Robin Ives yelled, “Sucks.”
A Blumenthal partisan pointed to her McMahon sign and said he hoped it wasn’t made in China, like the toys sold by her company, World Wrestling Entertainment.
“I don’t have any problems with things from China,” Ives shouted back. “That’s where I got my daughter.
Watching the exchange was her 9-year-old daughter, Jadyn.
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Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who lives in neighboring Brookfield, led the parade, accompanied by her husband, Lou, and their children and grandchildren.
Governor’s Horse Guard and Governor’s Granddaughter.
“This is the first time I have the grandkids here at one time,” Rell said.
The governor has three grandchildren and one grandchild on the way – due two days after Election Day.
Rell said she intends to campaign for Republicans who seek her help.
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Dan Malloy, the Democrat who hopes to succeed Rell, said he is ready for an attack from his Republican opponent, Tom Foley.
“He has to go negative. We know that,” Malloy said. “He’s playing with fire when he does.”
Malloy has a $6 million campaign treasury, thanks to public financing.
“It’s nice to know we’ll have the resources necessary to get the message out,” Malloy said.
One of Foley’s likely attack lines: Malloy has public financing, which the legislature doubled recently.
“Dan Malloy now has $6 million of taxpayer money,” Foley said. “That’s really inexcusable, that the legislature would go and give him additional money after they saw the results of the primary.”
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Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz arrived solo at the Labor Day parade.
She ended up marching with Malloy and his running mate, Nancy Wyman.