An unexpected Kentucky primary battle is brewing (distilling?) over who gets the Democratic nod to run for the U.S. Senate in November. Slate recently dubbed it “The battle for who gets to lose to Mitch McConnell” … and they’re probably right. Still, Democrats need to make a best effort to retire the dystopian Toby the Turtle.
Just last month, Amy McGrath was the presumptive Democratic candidate to take on McConnell. I guess I knew that there was an Democratic primary, but it hadn’t even registered as a blip on my political radar. I suspect the same was true of most voters in Kentucky. McGrath raised a massive amount of money and polls were showing her within striking distance of McConnell. At the very least, she was going to make Republicans spend money in Kentucky at the expense of other Senate races – and perhaps help deprive McConnell of a Senate majority even if he himself is returned to the chamber.
But then, our entire country – including Kentucky – was gripped by racial protests, mostly related to the role of the police in American society.
Suddenly, another candidate in the Democratic primary started getting attention. Charles Booker, Kentucky’s youngest black lawmaker, surged into the limelight at the expense of McGrath. Progressives were immediately falling all over themselves to endorse Booker – including Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Back in August, I wrote about why I like Amy McGrath and why I can’t stand Mitch McConnell. I won’t repeat myself. I will add that my preference for a McGrath win is exceeded by my preference for a McConnell loss. If I thought that Booker might have the best chance to beat McConnell, I’d be on board with his candidacy. But he doesn’t and I’m not.
Kentucky has shown that it will elect a statewide Democrat if the circumstances are perfect. A moderate Democrat did the win Governor’s office in 2019, but the Democrat was the popular son of a popular former Governor and the Republican was a poster-child of corruption. In general, Kentucky is a very red state which Trump won in 2016 with 63% of the vote.
Booker is most definitely not a moderate. In fact, his platform reads like a Progressive wet dream: Medicare for All, Green New Deal, universal basic income, student loan forgiveness, free college tuition, etc. That platform simply isn’t compatible with a majority of Kentucky voters. He’ll get no Republican votes, few independent votes, and even many moderate Democrats may just stay home. McGrath’s center-left platform is a much better fit for Kentucky.
Booker won his first and only election in 2018 for a Kentucky State House seat in a solidly Democratic district. He won the Democratic nomination for that seat with only 30% of the vote in a crowded primary field. Prior to that, his resume is decidedly uninteresting. While Booker may well have a bright future, his credentials are not yet impressive… particularly in comparison to McGrath’s.
Booker might win in his hometown of Louisville against McConnell … and nowhere else. McGrath still has the only chance at a general election win.
Come on, Kentucky. Show me you’re as good at politics as you are at bourbon.