Mitch McConnell is from Kentucky!

[MineralMan]

We should not waste a minute of our time on him. Kentucy would elect Ghengis Khan if he ran for Senate there. Why do we tilt at windmills? Elect Democratc Senators where that is possible. Kentucky is not that place.

Do what can be done. Do not waste energy on what cannot.

ETA: I am writing on a Kindle Fire. Please excuse my typos.

[jberryhill]

1. I don't know a whole lot about Kentucky

Has anyone ever sent an expedition or some kind of mission to find out what goes on there?

I like the name. It's fun to say.

And I am aware of their famous jelly. Tastes a little funny on toast, though.

Oh, and people constantly confuse their state two-letter code with the international country code for the Cayman Islands.

[Enrique]

3. video of Kentucky

[jberryhill]

5. Aww that's probably not fair

Don't they have some big caves and mountains and stuff?

[MineralMan]

7. I am not bashing Kentucky.

I am speaking of political realities.

[jberryhill]

12. They has a world's fair back in the 80's

C'mon. The population there, like anywhere else, has got to be able to grasp that the GOP is about screwing the 99%.

[MineralMan]

14. Not a chance.

Look to your own state or a neighboring one.

[Motown_Johnny]

2. Forcing them to spend money on a race that should be a lock is not a bad thing.

[MineralMan]

4. There is no amount of money

That would be sfficient. It is betterspent on races that can be won.

[jberryhill]

8. What side of the civil war were they on

Or are they just hearing about it now.

There have to be good folks in Kentucky.

[MineralMan]

13. Of course there are.

Not enough to elect a Democrat to the Senate, though.

[TDale313]

16. If we don't compete in these places...

We'll never win in these Red areas. "We can't win there" becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. We may lose, but IMO it's worth the fight. Make them defend themselves on "their" territory. Start developing the party in places we normally write off. I don't have a problem with that. We may not win a particular race, but IMO it'll pay dividends in the long run.

[MineralMan]

18. Focus on winnable races, or lose.

That is the bottom line.

[tkmorris]

20. Whether it is winnable or not is a matter of opinion

Obviously you feel it is not, but let's not forget that others may feel differently. Your opinion is not a fact.

[Jbradshaw120]

29. I completely agree with you

If the thought of we can't win here prevailed my state of MT would still be represented by Conrad Burns and Dennis Rhberge, but because we tried Dems now have both of the Senate seats, he Governors Mansion for at least 12 years and possibly more, and 3 of the 4 other state wide offices. We have to compete every where, and stop writing areas off as well as accept that we can get better democrats elected in states like Vermont and Massachusetts that would not be elected in states like Montana and Kentucky.

[0rganism]

6. But wouldn't it be funny if he lost to Ashley Judd?

Say what you like about focusing on winnable races, I'd pay money to see that happen.

[Fawke Em]

11. Has she moved back to Kentucky, yet?

Because we Tennesseans, despite all the breathless news stories about her moving back to Kentucky and running, aren't giving her up without a fight. She could beat Lamar, and she's been a loyal member of the Tennessee Democratic Party for years, even serving as an Obama delegate.

[0rganism]

25. dunno. I'd pay to see her beat Lamar too.

She'd get my support either way.

[madinmaryland]

9. Is it not possible to actually steal a senate seat?

The Repub party has been doing a really good job of shooting themselves in the feet over the last few years. Some would have said the same thing of a few other states in 2010 & 2012.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

10. Ashley Judd may beg to differ with you, and so may the people of the state, if she runs n/t

[Bake]

15. I beg to differ, and I live in Kentucky

We elected a Democratic governor.

Mitch's numbers are lower than ever. And last time, Steve Beshear (currently the Gov) almost beat him. McConnell isn't popular among the more extreme elements of the GOP (aka the teabaggers), so he might even face a primary opponent.

In short, I think Mitch is vulnerable. And I don't say that lightly, because like you, I used to think he was invincible.

On the other hand, he's got a ton of money and the campaign hasn't really begun. I don't know if Ashley Judd is the candidate to take him down. But I think he can be taken down.

And I hope I'm right and you're wrong (and I say that with the utmost respect).



Bake

[Enrique]

17. Kentucky just re-elected a Democratic governor

[kentuck]

19. You do not know Kentucky.

It can swing the other way at the drop of a hat. Much of the Republican vote is in the mountains and it is not always easy to get them to the polls in a non-presidential year. McConnell is far from a lock to win.

[Bluenorthwest]

21. How much time have you spent in Kentucky to be such an expert on the place?

They have elected Democrats as Governor. Plus, there should be strong opposition to any and all Republicans standing for office because sometimes a losing run or two has to proceed an eventual win, the notion that wars are won without battles lost is not something I buy into. 'We should not try, we should not build'. Says who?

[A Little Weird]

22. Pre-surrender?

Maybe one reason Kentucky stays red is that democrats have given up on it. It is very discouraging. A lot of out-of-state money was pumped into Kentucky to help elect that idiot Rand Paul. I believe it was a major factor and I can't help but wonder what might happen if progressives could mobilize that kind of support for a democratic candidate.

It sucks to be a democrat in a red state but I'm not going to quit trying to change things.

[cordelia]

23. This is one reason we need the unrec feature. Crap like this.

Despite what you say, you are bashing the people of Kentucky. Genghis Khan. Really?

Is Kentucky one of those states you've sworn never to set foot in?

[Music Man]

24. As a Lexington native

I take issue with the sweeping generalizations of Kentuckians that I often see on this website. There's a lot that's screwed up about our state, but there's a lot of wonderful things to emerge from my home as well. The Clooneys are one thing that come to mind!

As others have mentioned, Kentucky has this annoying habit of voting for Democrats in local races and Republicans in national races, at least recently. Particularly in East Kentucky, which used to be solid Democrat thanks to the coal mining unions, is now solid Red thanks to the way the Republican Party has managed to get such people to vote against their own economic interests.

Just two years ago, Jack Conway had a viable chance of beating Rand Paul in the Senate race. At one time that fall, he was just two points behind Paul (and within the margin of error, probably). We volunteers were excited. Then his ridiculous Aqua Buddha ad came out, and Conway's numbers plummeted practically overnight.

Bill Clinton won Kentucky both times. And Jim Bunning *barely* won the Senate race in 1998. I believe the margin was merely a couple thousand votes, largely due to the poor turnout operation and advertising strategy by Scotty Baesler, Bunning's opponent.

I encourage non-Kentucky natives to stick to what they know.

[CherokeeDem]

27. Thank you, Music Man...

I am not a native of Lexington (born in Aiken, SC), but I live in Lexington now and my family is from Kentucky. I could not have offered a better explanation of KY's political climate than you did.

I would like to say I am so thoroughly disgusted with the stereotyping offered by so many people on this board. I thought Democrats were supposed to be inclusive, embracing our differences but often that doesn't seem to be the case.

I wonder how those of you, who know nothing about Kentucky, would feel if your home was trashed constantly. I can think of stereotypes of people who live in NYC, or Boston, or Kansas City, or Oakland...but I don't choose to malign or belittle someone's home because it differs from mine. Nothing makes any of us better than the others.

Electing McConnell, or Paul is an embarrassment but there are a lot of crazy Republicans who have been elected across this county. Go pick on California for Issa or Virginia for Cantor...

[TheKentuckian]

32. Yup

[jeff47]

26. Your plan is to shrink the party

Right now, slightly more than half the senate is "winnable".

Time passes, and we lose a few seats. Now less than half the senate is "winnable".

More time passes, now only about 40% of the senate is "winnable".

And so on.

50-state strategy worked extremely well. It won a lot of "unwinnable" races. MA wasn't supposed to be "winnable" for Scott Brown, but he won his special election. And there's a host of other examples.

That's not to say we should throw money at a candidate who's down 30 points with a month to go. But we should not dismiss any races this early.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

28. I disagree

They targeted the shit out of Harry Reid. They made him a household name amongst idiots who otherwise wouldn't know him except what Flush Limpballs says about him.

Let's do the same.

[TheKentuckian]

30. McConnell has crappy margins and is not well liked. He can be beaten.

Lundsford was a horrid crook and almost took him. Clinton won here once. We've had like two one term Republican Governors since Reconstruction. Been a while since we've mustered a Wendel Ford to the Senate, I know too well. It isn't easy but it is possible. McConnell generally has fairly tight races and he isn't particularly even loved by TeaPubliKlans.

Not likely, I grant. Tilting at windmills is pretty far from the case.

[morningfog]

31. It can be done. Defeat McConnell!