When you shear away all the fluff, ham-handed politicking, and let’s-poke-the-Republicans-with-a-stick troublemaking, what you’re left with in this Politico article is pretty much this: Mitch McConnell wants to win his Senate election next year – and he’s apparently got a good idea on how to do that, damn his eyes*. Seriously, this is their big revelation?
[Reid’s people say that McConnell’s strategy will be to] organize early, raise big money early to scare off opponents, scorch potential rivals to shape the field, push back against polling showing vulnerabilities to depress potential rivals and third-party groups, bolster the state party that each effectively runs and invest in new technology to run an even better campaign than their previous one.
…yes, as opposed to Mitch McConnell stripping himself naked, painting his body with purple and green woad, and doing the Fish Dance at the next debate.
Look, I know that it’s fashionable and everything to assume that the GOP has absolutely no skill whatsoever at electioneering; but a look at the 2009, 2010, and yes, 2012 Congressional and gubernatorial elections might suggest to people that maybe, just maybe, we have a few people out there who know how to run a campaign. It should not particularly surprise anyone to hear that the Senate Minority Leader has some of those people on speed dial. Heck, if it works out, Mitch should bring them along to the 2016 festivities…
Moe Lane
PS: I assume that Politico is being facetious when it asks why Mitch McConnell took the time and trouble to politically defenestrate** Ashley Judd, but just in case they weren’t, here goes: McConnell’s biggest concern for next year is that he might face an opponent that is not predictable. It’s highly unlikely, but it got that way in large part because McConnell decided to start up the dance with a not-very-subtle-at-all demonstration on what happens when amateurs go up against professionals. And do not think that a potential Democratic candidate like, say, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes has not taken the hint; particularly since she certainly must know that national Democrats will be content to merely stand to one side of the avalanche aimed at her head, and shout out helpful advice. Grimes will probably still run, but now it’ll be in a much better frame of mind. Well, ‘better’ by my standards, at least.
*That last sentiment is Politico’s, not mine. I am agnostic on the primary, but I also see no harm in making a GOP challenger work for it. This can be a dirty, Darwinian business some times; have no illusions on that score.
**All the other metaphors were worse. There was brutality in the Judd takedown. Frankly deserved brutality, which is why I am not crying over it or anything – but it wasn’t High Tea at Noon.
We can also thank Progress Kentucky for uniting the Republicans around Mitch McConnell, for attacking his wife and bugging his campaign office. You honestly don’t interfer when conservatives are ready to eject a moderate.
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Now he has the money and united base to sail past the primary, and to make Secretary Grimes’ life a living hell during the general election.
There weren’t many candidates itching for a fight with McConnell. That dude is straight up gangster when it comes to keeping his job. Look up Iroquois Hunt Club and Steve Beshear on google. McConnell won in Dem landslides in 1990, 1996, 2002, & 2008. He won when Bill Clinton carried Kentucky; he first won his office by kicking a two term incumbent to the curb. As an aside his “Where’s Dee” using bloodhounds to try to find him is the GOAT of political advertising. I am not saying trying to primary McConnell was out of the question; just don’t know how realistic it was given his access to money, proven ability as Moe says above to organize and run a campaign and that he never takes anything for granted. Now I just wished he treated Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats the same way he treats his campaign opponents.
I am still ticked at McConnell for foiling Tennessee’s evil plot to pawn Ashley Judd off on Kentucky. (Will admit said plot wasn’t exactly neighborly but when it comes to AJudd – it’s every state for themselves).
Politics has always been a “dirty” business. Remember that the “victims” of the Second Defenestration of Prague only survived their 70 foot plunge by landing in a pile of horse manure.
Ashely got off easy.
I really wish McConnell would approach Politics the way he approaches a campaign. That being said maybe a few of the conservatives e.g. (Rubio, Johnson, Cruz, Paul, Lee) could learn a thing or two from Mitch on how to campaign, biggest issue for the GOP is usually its young stars are lousy at campaigning and get knocked out after two terms.
Hey Moe, How is voting for Amnesty going to help McConnell in a predominately Blue Collar Democrat state? I’m fairly certain some of the unions there would not like the idea of their wages and their jobs being given over to illegal aliens.