Democrats haven't given up on beating Mitch McConnell yet, buying new ads in Kentucky

Democrats haven&#039;t given up on beating Mitch McConnell yet, buying new ads in Kentucky

(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

Last week it appeared that national Democrats had all but given up hope that Alison Lundergan Grimes could unseat Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky's Senate race, with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee declining to buy television ads on her behalf in the last weeks of the campaign. This week, the DSCC has a new message: Psych!

Politico reports that the DSCC is buying $650,000 in television spots on behalf of Grimes, giving a jolt to her campaign:

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee plans to go back on the air in Kentucky after the party has been encouraged by new polls suggesting the race against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is within reach.

The party committee is reserving $650,000 in airtime to boost Alison Lundergan Grimes after reviewing recent internal and public polling, a DSCC official told Politico. The polling, the source says, suggested that independent voters are moving in the Democrat’s direction. [Politico]

Earlier this week, the Lexington-Herald Leader reported that the race was essentially a dead heat. Regardless of who wins, it looks like the DSCC messed up by pulling out too early.