Mitch McConnell, five-term Senate incumbent, says he's the 'change' candidate in Kentucky
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is facing what is expected to be a tough re-election battle against Democratic challenger Allison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky's secretary of state. She has made the incumbent's long tenure in the Senate a major theme of her campaign, arguing that he is emblematic of all that's wrong with Washington, D.C., and that fresh blood is necessary.
This weekend, at the annual Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky, McConnell struck back with a novel argument, declaring that he is the true "change" candidate in the race. The 35-year-old Grimes was "a new face for the status quo," he said. He also spoke to Eliana Johnson at National Review:
"Oddly enough," McConnell tells me in an interview, "even though I've been around for a while, if you want change, I'm the vote you oughta cast." [National Review]
McConnell won his first Senate race in 1984.
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Ryu Spaeth is deputy editor at TheWeek.com. Follow him on Twitter.