By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

The expected war of words leading to the November general election between former WWE CEO Linda McMahon and Democratic candidate Richard Blumenthal for the U.S. Senate seat in Connecticut began immediately after McMahon's Republican primary election tonight.

Various members of the Democratic party issued statements ripping McMahon and the Republican party for nominating McMahon tonight. Democratic party chairwoman Nancy DiNardo said McMahon spent a "record-breaking" $26 million to campaign for the Republican nomination, yet did not win 50 percent of the vote.

"Linda McMahon's performance in this primary election was pathetic," DiNardo said. "She spent a record-breaking $26 million against two opponents who barely campaigned and she couldn't win even half the vote. More Republicans voted against her than for her."

With 88 percent of precincts reporting votes as of this report, McMahon has 49 percent of the vote compared to Republican opponents Rob Simmons with 28 percent and Peter Schiff with 23 percent.

The Democratic party also addressed the back-story on McMahon, who brings significant baggage with her into the Senate campaign considering WWE's history of occupational health issues and questions over the TV content WWE has produced. McMahon's opponents seized an opportunity to establish their talking points ahead of the November race.

"Connecticut Republicans today nominated a corporate CEO of WWE, who under her watch violence was peddled to kids, steroid abuse was rampant, yet she made her millions," said U.S. Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Menedez went on to tout the record of Blumenthal before offering his comparison: "In November, Connecticut voters will face a choice between a corporate CEO who looked out for herself, and a crusading Attorney General who has spent his career looking out for them."

Eric Schultz of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) added: "As the former WWE CEO, McMahon built an empire peddling violent, sexually explicit material that glorified the exploitation of women, and the mentally disabled. Yet, it's McMahon's record outside the ring that is raising the most serious questions - including steroid abuse running rampant under her watch."

McMahon's primary election victory tonight grabbed national headlines, as well as local headlines in Connecticut. As evidenced by a Senator from New Jersey and the national branch of the Democratic party getting involved in the discussion, the parties are viewing this as a national story and not just a story that will be contained in Connecticut.

With McMahon vowing to spend upwards of $50 million on her campaign, the story and coverage will certainly pick up steam heading to November.

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