McConnell appeals to traditional Kentuckians

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The man facing off against Grimes is none other than Senate Minority Leader and incumbent five-term Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell.

While they may seem miles apart when speaking at rallies, McConnell and Grimes are not always that different in their stances. Both are pro-coal, and both have criticized the president’s policies, particularly his climate policies and the Affordable Care Act.

While Grimes will get a fair level of support from young Kentuckians and women, McConnell will likely find his support from older and more traditional Kentuckians who have bought into McConnell’s assertion that Grimes is a client of the President.

This is a brilliant move by the veteran politician. Despite the fact that Grimes has distanced herself from the president on numerous occasions, Kentucky voters might not be able to get past the Democrat label.

Another point of importance is that, should he be re-elected for a sixth term, McConnell will likely become the Senate Majority Leader, assuming the Republicans take control of the Senate. If Grimes is elected, she will be starting from the bottom of the totem pole. Having only served two years as the Kentucky Secretary of State, Kentucky voters might be hesitant to elect someone with so little experience to such a high position of power.

McConnell also has the benefit of being a politician that seems to hold beliefs in line with the majority of Kentuckians. Like a majority of Kentuckians, McConnell is conservative on social issues like same sex marriage, marijuana legalization and abortion. As a staunch supporter of the coal industry in his speeches, McConnell has publicly denied man-made climate change and believes government regulation of the fossil fuel industry should be limited.

In 2011 McConnell voted to bar the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases, which are released into the atmosphere as the result of the mass burning of fossil fuels like oil and coal. His pro-fossil fuel stance goes back decades, as he voted against funding for solar and renewable energy in 1999.

Obviously the true reason McConnell and Grimes are focusing so much on the coal issue is not because of coal itself, but because of the jobs it has historically provided Kentucky citizens. This is McConnell’s focus. To his credit, he has a few bragging points when it comes to supporting the working man. In 2008 he voted in support of extending unemployment benefits from 39 weeks to 59 weeks, and he voted in support of raising the minimum wage to $7.25 in 2007.

Maybe McConnell can retain enough support from Kentucky workers to make it six terms as a U.S. Senator. As of now, it seems Kentucky voters are leaning towards a familiar face. McConnell is projected to be ahead by three percentage points, according to most recent polling. Regardless of what the latest polls say, this is expected to be one of the closest and most crucial elections this year, and the outcome could be vital to America’s future.

For a column about the talking points of challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes, see:

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