What to know about Mitch McConnell's Senate reelection bid in Kentucky
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's comments about being willing to fill a Supreme Court vacancy have touched a nerve among critics, who are hoping the sixth time is the charm in defeating Kentucky's longtime lawmaker.
The backlash is also a reminder that McConnell, a Republican, is gearing up for a reelection bid in 2020 in which he will undoubtedly be the target of Democrats and their allies.
While it's still very early, here's a look at where that race stands:
What is McConnell running on?
McConnell plans to lean into making the judiciary more conservative since President Donald Trump took office in 2017.
The campaign website echoes what McConnell has said in several speeches, and boasts about how he "led the fight for our conservative values" by helping confirm two Supreme Court justices. It also mentions McConnell was part of eliminating government regulations, passing the Republican tax cuts and legalizing industrial hemp.
The message then pivots to attack mode against "left-wing billionaires, progressive activists and Hollywood liberals" who Team Mitch says is coming after him.
In 2014, McConnell, who was then the minority leader, argued that Kentucky was better served by having him in leadership than a freshman Democrat. Now, as the man who controls what the Senate votes on and when, expect McConnell to rely heavily on that role.
Related: George Takei tweets he's 'tempted' to take on Mitch McConnell
Trump to be featured prominently
Kentucky is one of the states where President Trump has his highest ratings in the country. Trump has a net approval of plus 16 points, according to the polling firm Morning Consult.
McConnell, conversely, is the least popular U.S. senator in the country, according to the same surveys. He has a net approval of negative 16 points.
Much like Gov. Matt Bevin, who is running for reelection this year, McConnell plans to embrace the president in his bid for a sixth term.
The campaign's first advertisement, a three-minute production, shows the president heaping praise on McConnell for being "Kentucky tough" during the tumultuous confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was appointed to the high court despite being accused of sexual assault as a student decades ago..
"There's nobody tougher," Trump says in the video.
Will Amy McGrath or Matt Jones run?
On the Democratic side, there are rumors bouncing around that former Marine pilot Amy McGrath is considering a run against McConnell.
McGrath soared to national prominence when she ran for Congress in 2018. She ultimately lost to Republican incumbent Andy Barr in that contest, but she has remained politically outspoken and visible.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, reportedly met McGrath this year to recruit her for next year's Senate race. The Ditch Mitch Fund, a political action group, even created a "Draft Amy" website that is running digital ads.
Making a run: Amy McGrath vs Mitch McConnell in 2020? Group launches campaign
Sports radio host Matt Jones is another name being trotted out as a potential candidate against McConnell.
The No. 1 University of Kentucky basketball fan has publicly flirted with the idea of running for public office for years. But speculation that he is serious this time is growing after a major profile in Politico last year.
Jones also is starting to take jabs at rivals, including McGrath, who he said can't win statewide.
The Democratic bench is pretty thin, so much so that Star Trek alum George Takei tweeted that he was tempted to relocate to the Bluegrass State just to run against McConnell.
Health care professional Steven Cox, of Madisonville, is the only declared Democratic candidate in the race.
Former state Rep. C. Wesley Morgan, a Richmond liquor store owner, announced this week that he is running in the Republican primary.
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Mitch is made of money
Whether it's special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation or cocaine jokes, the McConnell campaign knows how to vacuum up every donor dollar available to build a reelection machine.
Federal campaign records show Team Mitch has raked in $2.1 million since January, and has $5.6 million in cash on hand. That easily tops the then-record $1.8 million that McConnell raised in 2013 when he was anticipating a Republican primary challenge from Bevin.
Related: Democrats call McConnell 'hypocrite' for flip-flop on Supreme Court stance
It also doesn't count the tentacles of different independent groups and super PACs supporting him. The three groups most commonly associated with Team Mitch — McConnell Senate Committee, Bluegrass PAC and McConnell for Majority Leader — have raised $2.8 million combined.
If Democrats do make a viable run at McConnell, their nominee will have to have major money.
In 2014, McConnell doled out $10 million to stiff-arm Bevin and then raised a gargantuan $31 million to defeat Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes, who raised about $19 million.
Reporter Phillip M. Bailey can be reached at 502-582-4475 or pbailey@courierjournal.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/philb.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What to know about Mitch McConnell's Senate reelection bid in Kentucky
