McGrath wins, will face off against McConnell in the fall
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Former fighter pilot Amy McGrath has won the Democratic primary for U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat, The Associated Press announced early Tuesday afternoon, in a slim victory over state Rep. Charles Booker.
The election was held on June 23, but there was a delay in announcing the full results because hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians mailed in their ballots, the result of procedural changes enacted because of the coronavirus pandemic.
McGrath emerged early as the frontrunner in the race to win the Democratic Party’s nomination and run against McConnell this fall.
She had a huge advantage over Booker in terms of finances, having attracted more than $41 million in campaign contributions as of early June. (That’s more money than McConnell, a renowned fundraiser, had drummed up for his reelection bid by that point.)
McGrath also had been in the race longer, launching her campaign about six months earlier than Booker, and secured the support of the powerful Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
However, Booker mounted an unexpectedly competitive challenge to McGrath as an unapologetically progressive candidate. (McGrath generally has been seen as a more moderate Democrat, although McConnell’s campaign has nicknamed her “Extreme Amy McGrath” and contends that she is a far-left candidate.)
His participation in recent protests against police brutality and racism in his hometown of Louisville catapulted him into the national spotlight and led to a spike in interest and support for his candidacy among people within and outside of Kentucky.
The protests Booker joined have focused heavily on Breonna Taylor, a 26year-old Black woman and ER technician who died after Louisville police officers shot her in her own home in March. Taylor’s case brought a lot of attention to Louisville and, by extension, to Booker and the calls for justice he has made in solidarity with other protesters.
In the final month of the primary race, Booker racked up endorsements from such congressional superstars as U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, a flood of campaign donations and social media buzz.
He also maintained his focus on grassroots work – a strategy he championed when he launched his candidacy in January – and held a series of outdoor campaign events around Kentucky to meet voters and get them fired up for Election Day.
Meanwhile, McGrath also made public appearances during the final week of the race but didn’t hold in-person campaign events because of public health concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Likewise, retired Marine Mike Broihier, another notable candidate in the crowded primary race, largely avoided holding or attending public events because of the pandemic.
Broihier was in third place with 4% of the statewide vote as of 10:45 a.m. Tuesday.