The Last Lonely Stand of the Republican Moderate

WOONSOCKET, R.I. – I’m still traversing New England, covering some federal campaigns, getting very interesting outside-the-circus takes on the Ryan nomination, slowly releasing the stories as Ryanmania settles. My first piece, reported in Connecticut at the end of last week, explores the U.S. Senate primary between former Rep. Chris Shays – a moderate Republican first elected in the Watergate era – and Linda McMahon, the multi-millionaire co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment. McMahon has the money; Shays is trying to rally Tea Partiers, unlikely enough, to his side. Read on.