Former wrestling magnate Linda McMahon and current U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy will face each other this November in the race for the U.S. Senate seat that will be vacated by Joseph Lieberman ’64 LAW ’67.

With about half the state’s precincts reporting, McMahon led challenger Chris Shays by a 76 to 24 percent margin in the GOP primary, and Murphy led former Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz ’83 by a smaller margin of 66 to 34 percent for the Democratic nomination. The two will now turn their attention to the November general election, in which polls have given Murphy a substantial lead over his Republican challenger.

“Chris Murphy won tonight, and he’ll win in November because people know he’s not like a lot of politicians in Washington,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement after results were released. “He spends his time working to advance the interests of the middle class, especially when it comes to job creation.”

McMahon, who lost to Sen. Richard Blumenthal LAW ’73 during the 2010 midterm elections after spending over $50 million of her own money, spent an additional $12 million in her primary campaign. She is expected to spend even more during the general election.

A July poll by Public Policy Polling gave Murphy a 50 to 42 percent lead over McMahon, substantially wider than a Quinnipiac poll conducted in May that gave Murphy only a three-point lead.

The general election will take place on Nov. 6.