Kentucky Senate Race will be one of most watched races in 2014

ABC News ^ | SHUSHANNAH WALSHE

[Din Maker]

Sen. Mitch McConnell (Incumbent) Republican Age: 72

Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes Democrat Age: 35

No doubt about it: The Kentucky Senate race will be the most watched 2014 contest of them all, and the stakes could not be higher. It is a rare occurrence that a congressional leader in the House or Senate is ousted, but with McConnell’s favorability ratings in the state low, Democrats see the opportunity of a lifetime in the Bluegrass State. Democrats see the numbers and are buoyed. McConnell won’t go down without a fight like we’ve never seen before, and this will be the brawl of 2014.

Polling shows a single digit race between Grimes and McConnell., statistically locked between the two. Grimes even wrote a letter to Bevin voters and independent voters a few days after the primary promising to be a “fresh, independent voice in Washington that puts Kentucky and its people first – not Washington insiders.”

ABC NEWS RATING: Toss-up

[Din Maker]

True Conservatives and Tea Party folks will not forget that Mitch said he would "crush" them. Most of them will not "take one for the team" and vote for McConnell. They will either stay home, or, skip the Senate race and vote down ballot or, vote for Grimes. How can McConnell expect them to vote for him? It ain't happening.

[TigerClaws]

RINO hunt!

Need Thad to step down in MS after the re-election is announced. Clear out the ‘go along to get along’ RINO crowd.

[ClearCase_guy]

My prediction: the Liberal will win.

[Slump Tester]

Either way, it’s a win for the rats.

[tennmountainman]

Good riddance to McConnell.

[upchuck]

True Conservatives and Tea Party folks will not forget that Mitch said he would "crush" them.

In that right there, IMHO, McConnell lost the Nov race. People don't take kindly to those sorts of in your face insults.

I reckon Mitch was feeling his oats and his pants got a little too big when he can out with that remark. It's a remark he can never, ever take back and will bite him in the ass big time come Nov.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It was so sweet to see that smug smirk wiped off Eric Cantor's face.

It would be even sweeter to see it wiped off McCockel's face.

There is no difference between him and a Democrat.

[nathanbedford]

Right.

Conservatives are in a lose-lose situation in Kentucky. If the Democrat wins we lose his Senate seat and, nearly as bad, conservatives will be in no position to say "I told you so" because we will not have established a visible vehicle by which conservative anger can be expressed. To do that we need a third-party candidate or at least a well publicized campaign to write in a third-party candidate so that the shortfall in McConnell's column is so clearly the work of conservatives that the mainstream media cannot report otherwise.

If McConnell wins after his brutal campaign in the primary, the media will continue to portray it as a vindication of the Republican establishment and the weakness of the Tea Party.

My own view is that McConnell will probably pull it out but this gal is very attractive, one poll has are slightly in the lead, and McConnell will be dragging around a corpse so it will be tight.

If he is going to lose let us as conservatives at least gain something from the loss of the seat.

[ChildOfThe60s]

Wrong on one count. We aren’t voting for Grimes.

The Dems know he has driven away the party base and this will energize their get out the vote efforts.

But we are not voting for a far leftist to get rid of a liberal GOPe. He’s just burned his bridges and he’s on his own. The smarmy prick.

[Paladin2]

https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/alg_website?refcode=general

[martiangohome]

If he loses, the Conservatives will get more Harry Reid. From the looks of this thread, no one has much of a problem with that....

[nathanbedford]

To coin a phrase, "what difference does it make?"

Seriously, it would of course make a big difference if it means winning or losing the Senate. But from another perspective it doesn't make much difference if we have majority leader McConnell halfheartedly opposing Obama publicly but behind the scenes facilitating many of the Obama initiative is designed to transform America.

Do we really believe that McConnell will repeal Obamacare? I do not. Do we really believe that McConnell will not collaborate with Obama on amnesty? I do not. Do we really believe that McConnell will do anything effective to curtail spending? I do not.

What difference does it make?

[LostInBayport]

I see what you did there...

[Fiji Hill]

If he loses, the Conservatives will get more Harry Reid. From the looks of this thread, no one has much of a problem with that...

Is there a Zimbabwean nickel's difference between Reid and McCommie?

[AmericanExceptionalist]

ABC NEWS RATING: Toss-up

I cannot quite believe that ABC News supposes that the senatorial race in Kentucky is a mere "Toss-up."

Stu Rothenberg (in The Rothenberg Political Report) lists it as "Leans Republican"; and this, as recently as July 10.

Kyle Kondik--writing in Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball, also on July 10--notes that "[A]ll the remaining incumbents in the 11 contests left to go are at least small favorites from here on out." He continues: "Probably the likeliest Senate incumbent loss would come on the Democratic side, where appointed Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) faces a challenge from Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D, HI-1)."

Unfortunately, I am aware of no recent poll in this regard--although Rasmussen had Sen. McConnell up by seven points in a poll of likely voters conducted between 5/28 and 5/29.

[The Antiyuppie]

Mc Connell’s people have photoshopped pictures of Obama and Grimes juxtaposed so close that it looks like she’s giving his ear the tongue.

Both candidates are basically scum, so, it’s a toss-up. They both make me want to toss up.

[South40]

True Conservatives and Tea Party folks will not forget that Mitch said he would "crush" them.

I agree.

But as bad as McConnell is and in spite of his stated goal of crushing te TEA Party, he enjoys the support of other high-profile RINOs.

RICK PERRY ENDORSES MITCH MCCONNELL

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

One might send a message by voting for neither...

https://www.facebook.com/DavidPatterson4Senate2014

[inchworm]

Rinos aka fraudulent republicans give the entire party a horrible name

[Paladin2]

Ditch Mitch will not save the Republic should he gain control of the Senate from 2014 to 2016.