McConnell’s challenger: ‘You’ve been there for 36 years. How’s it looking, Kentucky?’
The claws came out during Monday’s debate pitting Mitch McConnell against Amy McGrath.
Amy McGrath, the Kentucky Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, let the state’s current senator, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, know she is not impressed with his service during their debate Monday night. The two went head to head and raised important issues as their exchange became heated.
“Look, I know how to make deals. I made three major deals with Joe Biden during the Obama era. What the problem is here is the unwillingness of the speaker to make a deal,” said McConnell, in reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whom he says is the reason a decision on a stimulus relief bill has not been made, per CBS News.
McGrath disagreed, pointing the finger back at McConnell, saying he lacks leadership and is prioritizing the Supreme Court over Kentuckians who are waiting for that stimulus deal. A retired Marine fighter pilot, she says she is a leader and doesn’t believe in excuses. She then notes — to him and the debate’s viewers, “Senator, you’ve been there for 36 years. How’s it looking, Kentucky?”
Senate majority leader in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Clubb-Pool/Getty Images)
McConnell didn’t take his leadership being challenged too well and said, “I think her entire campaign is she’s a Marine, she’s a mom, and I’ve been there too long.”
A recent Quinnipiac poll shows that McConnell is beating the Democrat so far 53% to 41%. The poll also says Kentucky voters are mostly concerned with the economy over law and order and healthcare.
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Another big issue of the night focused on the Affordable Care Act, which will be the first case the Supreme Court examines after the election. The plan supplies health insurance to many Kentuckians. But McConnell claims, “No one believes the Supreme Court is going to strike down the Affordable Care Act.”
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Republicans are accusing Democrats of wanting to add more justices’ seats to the high court. But when debate moderator Bill Bryant asked McGrath her stance on the subject, she said, “I think we should be working on unpacking the Senate right now.”
Early voting in Kentucky for the Nov. 3 election starts today.
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