A big part of McConnell's strategy is going to be about running against President Obama rather than Allison Grimes in Kentucky's upcoming Senate election.
It's true that Kentuckians by and large don't have at all a favorable view of the President-he didn't get 40% of the vote in 2012 and a tiny number of counties went for him. One can't help but notice that the percentage of support Obama got in Kentucky was very similar to the support he got of the white vote nationally.
Still while Kentucky doesn't like Obama and he's a real liability for Grimes-he won't be coming to the state to campaign for her you can bet, though Clinton and his wife certainly will; which makes you again think of race as Kentucky white a red state actually voted for Clinton-McConnell himself isn't very popular in his own state either.
We know not many like McConnell. His reputation is pretty bad nationally as the most vivid picture he has in the minds of most Americans is his stating back in 2009 that the number one objective is to make Obama a one term President, 'a one term proposition.'
His standing is pretty poor in Kentucky itself and not many Senate Republicans want to be seen as his best friend in public.
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2013/08/mitch-mcconnells-many-gop-senate.html
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2013/08/does-mitch-mcconnells-re-election-bid.html
Still, his lack of popularity has reached a new low. Now even his own campaign manager feels he has to distance himself in conservative circles.
"Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) campaign manager said he's begrudgingly working in his current capacity to help the presidential prospects of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), according to an explosive phone recording that surfaced Thursday."
It's true that Kentuckians by and large don't have at all a favorable view of the President-he didn't get 40% of the vote in 2012 and a tiny number of counties went for him. One can't help but notice that the percentage of support Obama got in Kentucky was very similar to the support he got of the white vote nationally.
Still while Kentucky doesn't like Obama and he's a real liability for Grimes-he won't be coming to the state to campaign for her you can bet, though Clinton and his wife certainly will; which makes you again think of race as Kentucky white a red state actually voted for Clinton-McConnell himself isn't very popular in his own state either.
We know not many like McConnell. His reputation is pretty bad nationally as the most vivid picture he has in the minds of most Americans is his stating back in 2009 that the number one objective is to make Obama a one term President, 'a one term proposition.'
His standing is pretty poor in Kentucky itself and not many Senate Republicans want to be seen as his best friend in public.
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2013/08/mitch-mcconnells-many-gop-senate.html
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2013/08/does-mitch-mcconnells-re-election-bid.html
Still, his lack of popularity has reached a new low. Now even his own campaign manager feels he has to distance himself in conservative circles.
"Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) campaign manager said he's begrudgingly working in his current capacity to help the presidential prospects of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), according to an explosive phone recording that surfaced Thursday."
"In the recording, obtained by Economic Policy Journal, Jesse Benton — who ran Paul's successful 2010 campaign before joining McConnell's team — told conservative activist Dennis Fusaro that he has an ulterior motive in working the GOP leader's 2014 campaign."
"Between you an me, I'm sorta holding my nose for two years," Benton said in the recording, "'cause what we're doing here is gonna be a big benefit to Rand in '16."
"The call was recorded by Fusaro on January 9."
"McConnell endorsed Paul's GOP primary opponent, Trey Grayson, in 2010. Paul, however, made it clear that he's backing McConnell in his re-election effort next year."
"Benton pushed back forcefully, issuing a statement to denounce the recording and reiterate his commitment to McConnell's campaign."
"It is truly sick that someone would record a private phone conversation I had out of kindness and use it to try to hurt me," he said in the statement. "I believe in Senator McConnell and am 100 percent committed to his re-election. Being selected to lead his campaign is one of the great honors of my life and I look forward to victory in November of 2014."
While this statement may be 'forceful' it still doesn't speak very well that his own campaign manager has to make such a statement himself at this stage of the game. If McConnell's own campaign manager holds his nose to support him what does this mean for anyone else?
Ideally, you'd prefer that the support of your own campaign manger go without saying.
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