McMahon names replacement Conn. Senate spokesman

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon has quickly hired a new spokesman.

The campaign announced Wednesday evening that Todd Abrajano (ah-brah-JAH'-no) will be the new communications director. His appointment came hours after McMahon's campaign manager confirmed that spokesman Tim Murtaugh (MER'-taw) left the job on Tuesday.

Murtaugh joined the former wrestling executive's campaign last month after a previous communications director left for family reasons.

Abrajano most recently worked for millionaire businessman John Brunner, a Senate candidate in Missouri who lost that state's GOP primary to U.S. Rep. Todd Akin. Akin is the congressman who has been strongly criticized for his comments that women's bodies can prevent pregnancies in cases of "legitimate rape."

Abrajano is a Yale University graduate and managed Hartford attorney Ross Garber's failed 2002 campaign for state treasurer.