Posted on 05/28/2013 6:20:38 PM PDT by cotton1706
One of the favorite narratives propagated by the Republican establishment is that our candidates are “unelectable” loose cannons who will throw the election to the Democrats. [As if they are suddenly concerned about Democrat policies.] They try to invoke the name of Christine O’Donnell every time one of their members is challenged in a primary. Well, it looks like we found the Christine O’Donnell of this election cycle, and his name is Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Back in 2009, Mitch McConnell made it clear to then-Senator Jim Bunning that it was time for him to retire. He claimed to be scared of losing the seat, and did everything he could to push Bunning into retirement. McConnell planned to easily inert his protégé, Trey Grayson, into the seat, but a man named Rand Paul upset the apple cart.
As the saying goes, whatever comes around goes around, and now the shoe is on the other foot. Today, PPP released a poll showing McConnell tied in a hypothetical match-up with little-know Democrat Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. It also showed him with a 41% approval rating among Independents. Normally, I wouldn’t be too concerned about a PPP poll of any incumbent Republican. They probably have most of the incumbents under water in terms of approval. But here is what does concern me: ■Kentucky is a state Romney carried by 23 point. He won 117 of 120 counties. Yet, McConnell barely won reelection last time. Despite his unprecedented $21 million relentless media onslaught in a low-cost state, the race was touch-and-go until the very end. You can complain about PPP, but McConnell is clearly not that well liked in the state, and vividly embodies the status quo for voters across the political spectrum. ■Any Democrat who is closely tied to Obama should easily lose in a state where 40% of Democrat primary voters turned out to vote against Obama last year. However, Alison Lundergan Grimes is one of those blank slate, fresh faces who can fashion herself as a populist reformer against the status quo. She is certainly a leftist in the mold of all national Democrats. But in her capacity as a new phony blue-dog, she will have the ability to run against McConnell on the tax increase, debt ceiling, and amnesty. That is how red state Democrats always operate. ■McConnell is not exactly a charismatic guy, nor is he a smart policy guy. He has nothing positive to run on. The way he won reelection was by running $21 million worth of relentlessly negative ads against his male opponent. Will that work well against a young female, especially coming from him?
Ultimately, Kentucky has become such a red state that it is pretty hard to lose this seat. Moreover, it is unclear whether Lundergan Grimes will indeed jump into the race. However, at a time when we must win back the Senate, do we really need to waste another $20 million to hold a state like Kentucky? Is it worth losing opportunities in other states in order for Republicans to move heaven and earth to save McConnell? Is he so great for conservatives that he is worth such collateral damage?
Were McConnell to step aside for a fresh Republican face, the results of this race will easily favor a generic Republican – one who is not saddled with years’ worth of backroom deals, big government votes, and support of amnesty. We will then have more money to spend on other races and move closer to flipping the Senate.
Maybe Rand Paul ought to have the same conversation with local donors that McConnell did in 2009 when he pushed Jim Bunning out the door.
As time goes by and I watch Mitch, he reminds me of a picture of Dorian Gray. He has been morphing, and it’s sad.
McC believes in McC, always has, always will. He started out as an admirer of the far leftist John Sherman Cooper.
This Democrat mentioned can follow the ND-MT playbook to an “upset” against McC.
I’m so tired of sissified republicans....know what you know and stand up for it....but our guys motto seems to be “know what you know and keep it to yourself”....
Don't bet on it. First off, McConnell is a lying RINO. IMO, he will wreck the train before he will accede the seat to a conservative.
If we are so darn red, why are we saddled with a slimey leftie like Brashear? Oh, yeah, Jefferson County and the GOP.
It’s too bad the Ruling Class machine prohibits any legit ability to primary McConnell.
I will most likely have to do a write-in or go third party in the general when he is crowned for his seat once again by the Ruling Class oligarchy in D.C.
I’m done voting for Democrats pretending to be Conservatives.
Get out and work to take over your state party. We lost this year, but are already working on 2015
I don’t want a Dim but Mitch is an utter disaster and a terrible Senator.
LOL. Got me, I acknowledge, agree, and allow the point. Or concede if you wish. I think it was college that did it. As well as I can remember....
Oh well, if I turned my brain to jelly, I did it myself and had fun doing it. As opposed to permitting some leftist prof to turn it into liberal mush.
Actually, I meant cede, but skipped the always needed proofing of my comments.
The last election was in 2008, a Democrat sweep year. This one won’t be, even with a ratfink like Mitch. He wins by ten.
Maybe Rand Paul ought to have the same conversation with local donors that McConnell did in 2009 when he pushed Jim Bunning out the door.I don't think so.
Rand and Mitch have become BFF's since the 2010 elections. I doubt any challenge to Senator McConnell comes from the Paul camp.
The person to keep an eye on is Sarah Palin. She backed Rand Paul in his insurgent primary campaign in part, IMO, to undermine Mitch's choke hold on the Republican party in Kentucky.
It will be interesting to watch and see if she gets involved in the 2014 Senate primary.
The electable candidate will lose almost every time.
Time for primary against old Mitchie. The GOP cannot afford to lose this seat.
Start circulating your petitions NOW.
Bring back Bunning?
Binning is a dimwit.
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