In 2020, Democrat Amy McGrath spent $90 million in her campaign to unseat GOP Leader Mitch McConnell —outpacing him by nearly $26 million but still coming up nearly 20 points short. McGrath was a fundraising behemoth, but it was for naught in what was never a truly competitive contest. Two years later, her primary opponent who nearly upset her for the nomination, former state Rep. Charles Booker, is challenging GOP Sen. Rand Paul, but there’s little reason to think that in an even better year for Republicans in the solidly red Bluegrass State that this will be an even remotely competitive contest.
Booker rose to surprise fame during the 2020 race when he managed a stronger than expected primary challenge to the DSCC-backed McGrath, who had long been focusing ahead to the general election showdown with McConnell. But a perfect storm descended to help boost the Black lawmaker after racial injustice protests sprung up in the state following the law enforcement shooting of Breanna Taylor in Lexington. Booker was actively involved in the protests and movement — he
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The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the US House of Representatives, US Senate, Governors and President as well as American political trends.
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