This morning, the editorial boards of both the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader gave ringing endorsements of Alison Lundergan Grimes for the U.S. Senate.
In addition to noting Grimes' support of a minimum wage increase, access to child care, expanded Pre-K education, reduced student loan rates, and marriage equality, the write ups included blistering criticisms of McConnell.
More below the squiggle.
From the Herald-Leader:
But, wait, you say: How can our poor state afford to give up the power that Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has amassed in 30 years in Washington, especially if Republicans take the Senate, making him the majority leader?
McConnell does have power. He commands a perpetual-motion money machine; dollars flow in, favors flow out.
The problem is how McConnell uses his power. He has repeatedly hurt the country to advance his political strategy.
From the Courier-Journal:
But as the stakes grew higher and campaigns more costly, he lost his way to the point where he now is identified largely as the master of obstruction and gridlock in Washington.
And they called out McConnell's big whopper of a lie that Kentucky could keep Kynect while getting rid of Obamacare.
The Herald-Leader:
You can keep Kynect while he repeals the Affordable Care Act. Reality: If McConnell has his way, a half-million Kentuckians will lose access to health care and the state will lose a chance to tackle costly ills like addiction, diabetes and cancer.
The Courier-Journal:
Mr. McConnell repeatedly has vowed to repeal it "root and branch." More recently, as Kynect grows in acceptance and popularity, he has adopted the bizarre claim that Kynect is just "a website" that somehow could operate independently if the federal law is repealed.
Of course it can't — it's a fully operational, online state health exchange with a website Kentuckians are using by the hundreds of thousands to purchase health insurance or sign up for Medicaid through the federally backed program.
I hope that these endorsements are widely read and spread in Kentucky. In a recent interview with
Bloomberg Politics' With All Due Respect, DSCC Executive Director, Guy Cecil, said that in addition to getting a large turnout in Louisville, the Grimes campaign needs to get the remaining undecideds (who don't like McConnell) to vote for her. Maybe these editorials will help to persuade these voters.
Both editorials were quick reads. I encourage everyone to read and share!