Former Democratic Kentucky congressional candidate Amy McGrath is making another run at Congress, and this time she’ll attempt to take down Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
A former Marine fighter pilot, McGrath lost a highly-contested congressional race to Republican Rep. Andy Barr in Kentucky’s 6th district last year. McGrath announced her campaign Tuesday in a video released to her Twitter page. (RELATED: Mitch McConnell Trolls Democrats, Merrick Garland With 404 Page)
“I’m running to replace Mitch McConnell in the U.S. Senate,” she wrote. “Everything that’s wrong with Washington had to start somewhere—it started with him. With your help, we can defeat Mitch and defend democracy.”
I’m running to replace Mitch McConnell in the U.S. Senate. Everything that’s wrong with Washington had to start somewhere—it started with him. With your help, we can defeat Mitch and defend democracy. Join us: https://t.co/c4b0WAp4ji pic.twitter.com/DNLjFkHGua
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) July 9, 2019
McGrath was reportedly courted by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to challenge McConnell, who has become the bane of the Democratic party. During the first round of Democratic debates, McConnell’s name spiked on google searches by 2000%, according to GoogleTrends.
McConnell has been criticized by prominent Democrats for refusing to advance liberal policy initiatives passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, as well as his refusal to consider Judge Merrick Garland’s nomination to the Supreme Court in President Barack Obama’s final year in the White House.
After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referred to McConnell as the “grim reaper,” of the Senate, McConnell himself embraced the nickname, vowing to never put Democrats “socialist agenda” up for a vote on the Senate floor.
McConnell’s campaign manager Kevin Golden released a statement in which he called McGrath “out of touch” with the majority of Kentuckians.
“Amy McGrath lost her only race in a Democratic wave election because she is an extreme liberal who is far out of touch with Kentuckians,” Golden said. “Comparing President Trump’s election to 9/11, endorsing a government takeover of healthcare, and calling the wall ‘stupid’ is a heckuva platform that we will be delighted to discuss over the next sixteen months.”