Linda McMahon Challenges Christopher Shays to Three Debates.

Frontrunner Linda McMahon wants to debate former U.S. Representative Christopher Shays three times in their contest for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate. Only one of the three debates, sponsored by the Norwich Bulletin in April, would take place before the party nominating convention. It would not be televised. McMahon’s proposal was made in letter from campaign manager Corry Bliss to his counterpart on the Shays campaign, Matt Wylie.

The 2010 Senate nominee proposes two post-convention, pre-primary debates. The first in June would be sponsored by the Hartford Courant and Fox 61. The Greenwich Time and News 12 would host a July face-off in Stamford.

McMahon’s shrewd opening bid will be difficult for Shays to accept.  His calamitous first fundraising report fell far short of his $1 million goal, so Parson Shays needs to find free ways to garner attention against McMahon, who’s been working the party faithful for more than two years. Shays recently returned to Connecticut from his home in Maryland to seek the Senate nomination.