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McConnell promises 'state-of-the-art' campaign
Plans on attending Fancy Farm Picnic
FRANKFORT, Ky. — He says he’s taking nothing for granted and he’s clearly not waiting for a specific opponent to begin protecting his turf.
The Republican Leader of the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, hosted a conference call with Kentucky reporters Thursday to announce his campaign manager and grass roots director and tout his campaign re-election web site (www.teammitch.com).
McConnell said he’ll attend the Fancy Farm Picnic Saturday near Mayfield – unless the Senate remains in session. He said reporters will have to wait until then to learn what he intends to say but he went on to indicate his speech will likely focus on the governor’s race in Kentucky this year between incumbent Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher and Democratic nominee Steve Beshear.
He also predicted Fletcher will be re-elected and again said he will actively work for Fletcher’s re-election.
“I’m going to be working on that a substantial amount of my time between now and November.”
McConnell, 65, was first elected to the Senate in 1984, defeating incumbent Democrat Walter “Dee” Huddleston in what was considered an upset, using a now famous television commercial featuring hunting dogs looking for Huddleston who McConnell attacked for missing votes and committee meetings.
Thursday, McConnell promised a state-of-the art campaign in his race next year and said there is already a “virtual campaign” being waged against him by “various radical left-wing groups.”
McConnell has been the target of national Democratic ads criticizing his support of the war in Iraq and his position on immigration reform.
“I’ve won four statewide races in Kentucky by taking nothing for granted, and I’m not going to change now for next year,” said McConnell,who may face one of his toughest re-election challenges next year in the face of growing opposition to the war in Iraq and falling approval ratings for President George W. Bush.
Already at least three Democrats have indicated they may challenge McConnell. Attorney General Greg Stumbo has filed an exploratory committee. Louisville businessman Charlie Owen and Andrew Horne, a Louisville attorney, Iraq War veteran, and unsuccessful candidate in 2006 for congress, are said to be thinking of running.
McConnell isn’t going to wait for them to decide.
“I don’t like allowing the opposition – whether it’s opposition in a campaign or opposition in general which is what I have now – to go on without a response,” McConnell said.
McConnell said he looks forward to “discussing with Kentuckians all the accomplishments for the state during my time in the Senate” and reminding them he’s only the second Kentuckian to lead a party in the U.S. Senate. (Democratic Sen. Alben Barkley was Majority Leader during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration.
McConnell announced his campaign’s general consultant will be Justin Brasell who previously served as chief of staff for Republican U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis and who managed Davis’ campaigns in 2004 and 2006. Jonathan Samford will serve as McConnell’s grassroots director for getting out the vote. He has been serving in McConnell’s Washington office as a legislative aide.
McConnell said Fletcher’s race isn’t critical to his own re-election.
“The issues in '08 will revolve largely around the candidates for president,” he said. “I think (Democratic front-runner) Hillary Clinton will be a serious liability for whoever my opponent is, and I expect the race to be largely about the future and not the past.”
McConnell is known for defining the issues in his campaigns, usually centering on his opponent. But next year his Democratic opponent will try to frame the debate around McConnell’s role as Republican Leader and his support of the war and Bush in that role. His statement the race will be about the future – “and not the past” – reflects a preemptive move to define the race on his terms.
He said he expects no lack of support from Kentucky Republicans who might think he didn’t support Fletcher when the incumbent governor was challenged by Anne Northup and Billy Harper in the primary. McConnell was thought by some to have encouraged Northup. He called that “incorrect.”
“I didn’t take a position in the primary,” McConnell said. “I didn’t take a position in the '03 primary either. That was then and this is now and the question is whether we’re all going to get together and get the governor re-elected.”
He said Fletcher has been an “effective” leader and pointed to Fletcher’s efforts to pull off a special session of the General Assembly to enact incentives for a coal conversion plant as an example.
McConnell has already raised over $7 million for his re-election campaign with nearly $6 million on hand.
Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com.
