Louisville Courier Journal's Joseph Gerth Asks The Question On The Minds Of Kentuckians: What Will [Mitch McConnell] Do In Race For Senate?
What will McConnell do in race for Senate?
By Joseph Gerth
U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul last week increased the pressure in his GOP primary race against Secretary of State Trey Grayson with a radio ad in which he proclaims that he's bringing a message from the tea party.
What's more, he uses an audio clip of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorsing him.
If Paul didn't already have the tea party folks in his corner, that should help bring them along.
Palin, who delivered the keynote address at February's tea party convention in Nashville, Tenn., has become the group's unofficial spokeswoman as she delivers her “mavericky” sort of message that the anti-government folks like.
While she hasn't completely rehabilitated her image from a vice presidential campaign that left many believing she wasn't ready for the big time, she finished third in a presidential straw poll this weekend at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference.
What is Grayson — who trails in public polls — to do?
Actually, the question that should be asked is, “What is U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to do for him?”
McConnell, who has played host to a fundraiser in Washington for Grayson and who has loaned him some of his campaign team, including pollster Jan van Lohuizen, has kept a low profile in the race.
He hasn't publicly endorsed anyone and said recently that he didn't know if he would.
That's bad news for Grayson.
As the tea party movement grows stronger, Grayson could use the help of a mainstream Republican who carries weight with Kentucky voters.
While political insiders know McConnell and other mainstream Republicans are backing Grayson, the casual Republican voter may not. Grayson desperately needs them to know that he'll vote like all the Republicans they've trusted for so many years.
The biggest-name Republican backing him publicly now is former Vice President Dick Cheney. But Cheney comes across as a mean, old, grizzled coot when measured against the younger and telegenic Palin.
After that, you have to go all the way to former U.S. Rep. Ron Lewis to find Grayson's next
The ever-cautious McConnell has never been one to endorse candidates in Republican primaries. And he's less likely to do so now.
Paul, who some believe is the odds-on favorite to win the Republican nomination and Kentucky's other U.S. Senate seat, still hasn't said if he would support McConnell for another term as Republican leader.
And he seems more philosophically in line with first-term U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who looks to be setting himself up to challenge McConnell.
McConnell is not about to make an enemy when he doesn't have to — even if it means leaving his friend Grayson blowing in the breeze. ...
By Joseph Gerth
U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul last week increased the pressure in his GOP primary race against Secretary of State Trey Grayson with a radio ad in which he proclaims that he's bringing a message from the tea party.
What's more, he uses an audio clip of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorsing him.
If Paul didn't already have the tea party folks in his corner, that should help bring them along.
Palin, who delivered the keynote address at February's tea party convention in Nashville, Tenn., has become the group's unofficial spokeswoman as she delivers her “mavericky” sort of message that the anti-government folks like.
While she hasn't completely rehabilitated her image from a vice presidential campaign that left many believing she wasn't ready for the big time, she finished third in a presidential straw poll this weekend at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference.
What is Grayson — who trails in public polls — to do?
Actually, the question that should be asked is, “What is U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to do for him?”
McConnell, who has played host to a fundraiser in Washington for Grayson and who has loaned him some of his campaign team, including pollster Jan van Lohuizen, has kept a low profile in the race.
He hasn't publicly endorsed anyone and said recently that he didn't know if he would.
That's bad news for Grayson.
As the tea party movement grows stronger, Grayson could use the help of a mainstream Republican who carries weight with Kentucky voters.
While political insiders know McConnell and other mainstream Republicans are backing Grayson, the casual Republican voter may not. Grayson desperately needs them to know that he'll vote like all the Republicans they've trusted for so many years.
The biggest-name Republican backing him publicly now is former Vice President Dick Cheney. But Cheney comes across as a mean, old, grizzled coot when measured against the younger and telegenic Palin.
After that, you have to go all the way to former U.S. Rep. Ron Lewis to find Grayson's next
The ever-cautious McConnell has never been one to endorse candidates in Republican primaries. And he's less likely to do so now.
Paul, who some believe is the odds-on favorite to win the Republican nomination and Kentucky's other U.S. Senate seat, still hasn't said if he would support McConnell for another term as Republican leader.
And he seems more philosophically in line with first-term U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who looks to be setting himself up to challenge McConnell.
McConnell is not about to make an enemy when he doesn't have to — even if it means leaving his friend Grayson blowing in the breeze. ...
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