Rob Simmons

Rob Simmons

Robert Ruhl "Rob" Simmons (born February 11, 1943) is a retired U.S. Army Colonel and former U.S. Congressman from Connecticut. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007, representing Connecticut's Second Congressional District as a Republican.

Simmons ran as a candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator from Connecticut in 2010. While he originally led in the polls early on, Linda McMahon gained traction on him in the primary and won at the Republican convention. Simmons was deeply disappointed by his loss and later suspended his campaign. In late July – two weeks before the primary – however, he re-entered the race by airing TV ads, participating in debates, and accepting interviews with editorial boards. Simmons, however, went on to lose the primary to McMahon.