Kentucky Senate: Mitch McConnell romps past Alison Lundergan Grimes
Sen. Mitch McConnell was elected to a sixth term Tuesday, putting the veteran Capitol deal maker on track to achieve his longtime goal of becoming the Senate’s majority leader.
McConnell successfully used the state’s deep opposition to President Obama and his policies to fend off attacks from Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes that he was more interested in a personal promotion than serving voters’ interests in Washington. McConnell argued that a Republican-controlled Senate with him as its leader would reverse or prevent administration policies that hurt the state, such as regulations on the coal industry.
The Associated Press called the race for McConnell less than a half hour after the polls closed.
The race in Kentucky became one of the nation’s most expensive, with both candidates raising and spending millions in addition to an onslaught of ad spending by national groups.
McConnell’s next task will be to unite warring GOP factions in what will still be a closely divided Senate. The Republican has pledged to restore the Senate to its traditional, more collaborative nature after six years under the leadership of Democratic Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada.
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