KY Senate Race 2014: Getting lucky in Kentucky

[Eraserhead]

Offing McConnell would be amazing though. Oh well.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

The internals probably aren't bad, but it sounds like the internals are looking better in Georgia (where Nunn is a better candidate and would actually be able to hold on to the seat if she ran for re-election).

David Perdue is a truly bad man. But the Democrats' comeback of the late 2000s proved a strategy covering more states is better. (Remember the 50-state strategy?)

[Lief 🗽]

Offing McConnell would be amazing though. Oh well.

True. I'd love to see his concession. And the GOP senate leadership battle would be great fun.

[Keystone Phil]

If only there was someone that said early on that this wouldn't even be all that close...

[KCDem]

If only there was someone that said early on that this wouldn't even be all that close...

You're delusional if you think this won't be close.

[Eraserhead]

If only there was someone that said early on that this wouldn't even be all that close...

Still looks like it'll be fairly close.

[IceSpear]

Politico compares Grimes to Todd Akin. LOL. Looks like the media isn't even trying to hide that they're on #TeamMitch.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/the-god-that-failed-111923.html?ml=m_po#.VEBgthYZwtA

[Mehmentum]

I don't see why people are writing Grimes off.  I mean, she's doing about as well as Braley and Udall are on RCP. 

[Eraserhead]

Politico compares Grimes to Todd Akin. LOL. Looks like the media isn't even trying to hide that they're on #TeamMitch.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/the-god-that-failed-111923.html?ml=m_po#.VEBgthYZwtA

Politico has always been in the pocket of the Republican establishment.

[eric82oslo]

I don't see why people are writing Grimes off.  I mean, she's doing about as well as Braley and Udall are on RCP. 

And she's raised 15 million dollars in private donations - more than any other candidate this season! McConnell included, who's just raised 12.

[KCDem]

Grimes outraises McConnell $4.9 million to $3.2 million.

Turtle has $5.2 COH while Grimes has $4.4

http://www.kentucky.com/2014/10/15/3482647_mcconnell-raises-32-million-in.html?rh=1

[Dixie Reborn]

Politico compares Grimes to Todd Akin. LOL. Looks like the media isn't even trying to hide that they're on #TeamMitch.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/the-god-that-failed-111923.html?ml=m_po#.VEBgthYZwtA

Politico has always been in the pocket of the Republican establishment.

Lol

[impactreps]

I don't see why people are writing Grimes off.  I mean, she's doing about as well as Braley and Udall are on RCP. 

The problem is all three candidates are trailing Republicans in the RCP averages. And the Democrats' argument for winning Iowa and Colorado is that their amazing turnout operation is going to save the day for Udall and Braley despite their deficit in the polls. Assuming that to be true, do we believe that the Democrats' have an amazing turnout operation in Kentucky that can save Grimes?

[Mogrovejo]

I think this bad publicity is better than admitting that she did vote for Obama, because that would allow McConnell to run a barrage of ads featuring her saying that.

I disagree - I think an add with that cringe-inducing 30 seconds will be more damaging than an add with her saying she voted for Obama (which everybody already assumes anyway).

Chuck Todd said today that Grimes "disqualified herself". He's being over-dramatic, of course, but he has a point.  I don't understand why politicians do this. Just lie. Say something like "yes, but I regret it", "I thought it was the lesser evil", "I didn't, I wasn't comfortable with any of the choices", "Romney, and his views on women/poor/whatever, was simply an unacceptable choice for me", "There are rare instances when I don't vote Democratic and that was one of them", etc. I think virtually everything is better than that painful dodging.

Chuck Todd is a ridiculous concern troll. As if this is the biggest mistake a candidate has made all cycle.

Grimes not answering a question? OMG IT'S OVER SHE DISQUALIFIED HERSELF BIGGEST SCANDAL EVER

McConnell having to fire his campaign manager for literal bribery? Eh, who cares, it's irrelevant.

As I said, Todd was being over-dramatic, but that's no reason to emulate him.

I think that what happened afterwards validates my view that it was a mistake - a worse solution than just admitting she voted for Obama or that she wrote-in her dad's name, for example (well, maybe some other esteemed KY politician, if it was her father would come across as too self-centered). It doesn't matter if Todd was right on substance; it matters that he said it and it eventually ended up on an add for McConnell. Then she had to go through the same during the debate - it was easily her worst moment in what have otherwise been a good debate for her. It ended up in factchecks in local press claiming that in she's revealed who she voted for in the past. The issue still hasn't gone away while everybody thinks she voted to Obama and is hiding it by presenting disingenuous arguments.

I think Michelle Nunn handled the question much more graciously and efficiently (of course, it'd be even worse for Nunn to refuse to answer as it could depress AA turnout).

[Indy Texas]

Would Alison have served herself better to respond something like this?

"Yes I did vote for Barack Obama in 2012, like nearly half a million Kentuckians did. Do most Kentuckians agree with that vote? No. But in 1992, Senator McConnell voted for George Bush and most Kentuckians did not. In 1996, Senator McConnell voted for Bob Dole and most Kentuckians did not. So instead of talking about one vote I made as a private citizen nearly two years ago, let's talk about the votes this debate should be about - the votes I intend to make as a United States Senator and the votes Mitch McConnell has made in the Senate that have been wrong for Kentucky and wrong for America."

[Eraserhead]

Would Alison have served herself better to respond something like this?

"Yes I did vote for Barack Obama in 2012, like nearly half a million Kentuckians did. Do most Kentuckians agree with that vote? No. But in 1992, Senator McConnell voted for George Bush and most Kentuckians did not. In 1996, Senator McConnell voted for Bob Dole and most Kentuckians did not. So instead of talking about one vote I made as a private citizen nearly two years ago, let's talk about the votes this debate should be about - the votes I intend to make as a United States Senator and the votes Mitch McConnell has made in the Senate that have been wrong for Kentucky and wrong for America."

Probably so.

[Lief 🗽]

Would Alison have served herself better to respond something like this?

"Yes I did vote for Barack Obama in 2012, like nearly half a million Kentuckians did. Do most Kentuckians agree with that vote? No. But in 1992, Senator McConnell voted for George Bush and most Kentuckians did not. In 1996, Senator McConnell voted for Bob Dole and most Kentuckians did not. So instead of talking about one vote I made as a private citizen nearly two years ago, let's talk about the votes this debate should be about - the votes I intend to make as a United States Senator and the votes Mitch McConnell has made in the Senate that have been wrong for Kentucky and wrong for America."

Yes but that would have required her to run a campaign that wasn't defined by moderate heroism and cowardice.

[Brewer]

Would Alison have served herself better to respond something like this?

"Yes I did vote for Barack Obama in 2012, like nearly half a million Kentuckians did. Do most Kentuckians agree with that vote? No. But in 1992, Senator McConnell voted for George Bush and most Kentuckians did not. In 1996, Senator McConnell voted for Bob Dole and most Kentuckians did not. So instead of talking about one vote I made as a private citizen nearly two years ago, let's talk about the votes this debate should be about - the votes I intend to make as a United States Senator and the votes Mitch McConnell has made in the Senate that have been wrong for Kentucky and wrong for America."

That's good, you should email that to the campaign. :-P

[IceSpear]

Grimes bashes Chuck Todd

Just when I thought I couldn't like her any more than I already do...

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Grimes bashes Chuck Todd

Just when I thought I couldn't like her any more than I already do...

This is a good move. People are sick and tired of the right-wing media telling them what to think.

I figured this out 20 years ago, but better late than never.

[Eraserhead]

DSCC has jumped back in already. lol.

[Miles]

McConnell is self-funding almost $2M for the final stretch:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[IceSpear]

McConnell is self-funding almost $2M for the final stretch:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Yeah, clearly this race is safe R. McConnell's just blowing $2 million of his own money for the hell of it.

[Lief 🗽]

@howardfineman

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Eraserhead]

Mitch losing would be a thing of beauty.