If you follow politics at all, it is easy to cast Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as a one-dimensional villain like Darth Vader. Despite the fact that most Americans support background checks and red flag laws, he will not allow the U.S. Senate to vote on them. He also famously said that his main priority was to make sure President Barak Obama was a “one-term president.” The way he treated an Obama nominee was also disgraceful; he refused to let the Senate consider Merrick Garland.
While I am not normally someone to defend the guy, McConnell is between a rock and a hard place. It is clear that McConnel desperately wants to be reelected. The problem is that President Trump is more popular in Kentucky than the Senate Majority Leader. That means he has to do whatever he can to stay in the Orange Avenger’s good graces.
That itself is an almost impossible thing to do. In the first place, The Donald has toilet paper-thin skin. Any hint of a diss and he is all over the perpetrator as if the person killed all of Clan Trump. The second problem is as hard as the first; President Trump is the most unreliable person when it comes to backing or opposing anything. One day, he says he’ll vote for a budget. The next, after hearing from the likes of Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, he changes his mind. One day, he says he supports measures like better background checks and the red flag laws and then after talking with Wayne LaPierre, his mind is changed.
Given that environment, it is almost understandable that Mitch takes the safe path. This is why he does nothing.
And it is also why the nation is now looking to Kentucky to get this man out of the U.S. Senate. Despite the fact that he has more influence in the most deliberative body, he works for the people who can vote for him. If you send his office an email or letter and live in any other state, they will not read it. So, Kentucky voters, if you want to end gridlock in Washington, you can.
There are several people running to unseat McConnel, they are:
There is also a Republican running, C. Wesley Morgan.
Full disclosure: I am in no way affiliated with any campaign in Kentucky. I was also not as thorough as I should have been so I edited this to include more people who are running. This list may change over time.
