HARTFORD, Conn. _ Connecticut's sleepy U.S. Senate race drew to a close Tuesday night, with Democratic incumbent Richard Blumenthal cruising to victory and dashing Republican Dan Carter's hopes for an unlikely upset.
Blumenthal easily won a second six-year term, according to the Associated Press, which called the race moments after the polls closed at 8 p.m.
The under-the-radar nature of the race stands in sharp contrast to Blumenthal's first campaign for the seat in 2010. In that contest, the former Connecticut attorney general endured a withering onslaught of attack ads from former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, who spent $50 million in her unsuccessful quest.
This time around, Blumenthal was the one flush with cash, bringing in more than $7 million this election cycle. Despite being one of the state's most popular and well-known politicians, he spent millions on television ads. His campaign ran a series of positive commercials that highlighted his record and never mentioned his opponent.
Carter, a little-known state representative from Bethel, got into the race late, after CNBC personality Larry Kudlow opted not to run. Another contender, former Olympian August Wolf, saw his hopes blow up amid staff upheaval and charges of sexual harassment.
But from the start, Carter had trouble raising the money he needed to mount a competitive challenge to a sitting Democratic senator in a blue state.
At his election night gathering in Waterbury, Carter, a retired Air Force pilot, acknowledged his "short runway."
But he expressed no regrets, saying it is important to take on entitled establishment candidates.
Blumenthal, Carter said, is "beatable under the right circumstances."
Despite the lopsided funding equation, Carter remained a feisty opponent. He attacked Blumenthal for his support of a deal that aims to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon in exchange for lifting trade sanctions. He also criticized the Democrat for his emphasis on consumer issues such as the width of airline seats and a national shortage of saline solution.
Blumenthal's core campaign strategy consisted of generally ignoring Carter. He agreed to just one face-to-face debate, much to Carter's frustration.
In his TV ads and on the campaign trail, Blumenthal touted his efforts to help veterans and strong support of legalized abortion. On Tuesday, NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue hailed Blumenthal's victory, calling him "a committed champion for women and families and has always fought for our reproductive freedom."
While Blumenthal is undoubtedly focused on the results of his own contest, he also will be watching election night returns from key Senate races around the nation. Republicans currently hold a 54-46 advantage in the chamber, but if that changes and Democrats take control, Blumenthal is likely to become chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Another plus for Blumenthal: His ally, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, would be poised to become the Senate Majority Leader. Schumer and Blumenthal have worked together on rail safety legislation and a number of other bills.
