U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cruised over challenger Amy McGrath to claim his seventh term early Tuesday.
McConnell, 78, drew huge support from President Donald Trump in Kentucky, which was the first state called for the president.
Mitch McConnell, joined by his wife, Elaine Chao, gives his victory speech in Louisville. (Photo by Robin Cornetet/Kentucky Today)
President Trump got 62% of votes — 116,902 — to Joe Biden’s 36% — 680,425 — in Kentucky. (87% reported)
In the U.S. 4th District Congressional race, Thomas Massie prevailed with 242,383 votes over challenger Alexandra Owensby’s 119,967 votes with 92% reporting. Massie wins his 5th term in the House.
The vote in NKY in the presidential race:
Boone County: (95.24% reported)
Trump 43840
Biden 19589
Campbell County: (98.51% reporting)
Trump 28465
Biden 19339
Kenton County: (99.06% reporting)
Trump 47973
Biden 31966
See: KET – Election 2020 results here
McConnell’s role as majority leader is far from settled as all votes around the country are not yet fully counted. The Democrats needed to gain four Senate seats to take the majority.
Amy McGrath, a NKY native, was one of McConnell’s toughest challengers since he was elected to the Senate in 1984. She out-raised and out-spent him — $88 million vs. $73 million raised and $73 million vs. $44 million spent — but couldn’t bring home the win against the six-term Senator and Majority Leader.
In his victory speech McConnell told Kentuckians, “We are keeping a front row seat in the Senate.”
He warned of “grave challenges” facing the next president, including having to unite the country.
“We don’t yet know which presidential candidate will begin a new term in January,” he said. “We don’t know which party will control the Senate. But some things are certain already. We know grave challenges will remain before us, challenges that could not care less about our political polarization. We know our next president will need to unite the country, even as we all continue to bring different ideas and commitments to the table.”
“This is no time to attack our constitute like some outdated relic,” he said. “These are the times it was made for . . thesis no time to declare war on our institutions because one side is angry that the farmers made it hard to achieve radical change.”
“The U.S. Chamber congratulates Senator Mitch McConnell on a well-fought win in the Kentucky Senate race,” said U.S. Chamber CEO Thomas J. Donohue. “He is champion for America’s job creators and workers and knows Main Street prospers when free enterprise leads the way. Senator McConnell has been a trusted partner in Congress and we look forward to continuing our work together on behalf of our nation’s business community.”
Kentucky Today and staff report
Kentucky. The idiot state. It is no wonder that Kentucky is at or near the bottom in almost every category.