… well, for a week at least. Then back to New Jersey. That’s right, from October 26 through October 31, I’ll be campaigning in Lexington, Kentucky for Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes in her challenge to six-term incumbent Senator Mitch McConnell (or as my friend calls him, “the Wax Granny” with all the personality of “wax fruit”). (Sorry, is that an ad hominem attack?) I’m going to do my part to take down the kingpin of Senate dysfunction, who I’m sure will do just fine in a retirement home on K Street. And with that I’ll take some questions (below the fold):
“Why on Earth are you going to Kentucky?”
For this midterm election, with so many tight and important races around the country, it was really important for me to feel as if I could make a positive difference. With control of the upper chamber at stake, I knew it had to be a Senate race. Here in New Jersey, Senator Cory Booker has his race locked down, and I felt he didn’t need my help. I wanted a competitive race, and I was attracted to Alison Lundergan Grimes’s campaign because (a) she’s in a tight race and (b) I love that she’s not afraid to go on the offensive and really take McConnell to task for his anti-middle class agenda. I felt I could rally around her.
“Okay, but did you have to physically go to Kentucky to support this race?”
Yes. I prefer dealing with voters face-to-face and am not particularly good at phone banking or dialing for dollars. But, canvassing and knocking doors? That I can do! I enjoy talking to voters, and honestly, I’m kind of curious about Kentucky voters and the types of people I’ll meet.
“As a progressive voter, why would you support Grimes who is positioned as more of a centrist?”
Grimes has been quite vocal on middle-class and wealth-disparity issues. She’s hit McConnell hard on jobs, wages, Veterans health care, and student loan debt. Sure, Grimes is no Elizabeth Warren. I, too, wish she’d be more unapologetic on Obamacare and tout the virtues of Kynect. Still, it’s all relative, no? For the people of Kentucky, Grimes is a HUGE upgrade. Finally, they’ll have a Senator advocating for real people as opposed to a six-term Senator, who has advocated dysfunction above all else. They could also use a counterweight to Senator Rand Paul.
In addition, I don’t want to presume what Kentucky voters care about. I’m from Blue State, liberal New Jersey. I live in Jersey City, right across the river from New York City. It’s easy for me to talk about Obamacare, climate change, the 1 percent, and same-sex marriage. I’m sure when it comes down to it, Kentucky voters are not too dissimilar from anyone else. On a fundamental level, they care about jobs, security, health care, etc. But, Grimes seems to be doing pretty well without any advice from me, and since she already holds statewide elected office as Secretary of State, I figure she’s got her pulse on the average Kentucky voter.
Lastly, the progressive candidates in the Senate midterms either seem to be doing just fine (e.g. my favorite Senator Jeff Merkley D-OR) or are awesome but long shots (e.g. Shenna Bellows in Maine, who I really hope stays in politics and I’ll keep my fingers crossed just in case!).
“You’re sure you’ve thought this through?”
It’s going to be great! I was in Lexington when I was 8 years old driving across the country with my parents. I hope to take an afternoon and go horseback riding or something. I’ve had it with that Wax Granny McConnell, and I can think of no better cause than working to take out one of the worst United States Senators of our times. Time to turn the page, Kentucky!
And now a question for all of you: What will YOU be doing for the midterms?