Dethroning Mitch McConnell

My fellow Democrats, in two short years, not only will we elect a new president but Kentucky has a senator up for re-election. None other than Senator Mitch McConnell.

Yes, McConnell is Kentucky's senior senator. Yes, he has been there since January 1985.

In my humble opinion, Mitch McConnell is vulnerable. Anyone remember who he endorsed in 2003? Ernie Fletcher by way of getting his aide, Hunter Bates, on the ticket only to have the ticket sued when Bates didn't quite meet the residency requirements.

Sure, McConnell stayed silent throughout the whole hiring scandal and still has a very large role in the Republican Party of Kentucky.

Nevertheless, while I believe it is a long shot to defeat Mitch McConnell, we cannot give up. We have a very deep bench in Kentucky. In 2004, an obscure senator became well-known when he NEARLY knocked off Senator Jim Bunning.

If Dr. Daniel Mongiardo, a state Senator from Hazard, is not going to run in 2008, then run someone like Col. Andrew Horne, a veteran of the very same war in which McConnell voted for.

Col. Horne had a good showing in the 2006 campaign and after he lost, he did everything he could to elect John Yarmuth to Congress. He's an attorney and a veteran.

I don't know when Congressman Chandler will run for the Senate. I've heard 2008 and 2010, although 2010 makes much sense to me given that it is highly unlikely that Senator Bunning will run again as he is up there in age. But if Congressman Chandler does not run in 2008, then I'd look for someone like Col. Horne to run against Mitch McConnell.

There are Democrats in this state that want to see change. I want to see a Senator who REPRESENTS my interests and not be a rubber stamp for the Bush administration. I want a Senator that will represent the working people, not the big businesses.

I want a Senator who supports affordable and quality education, not No Child Left Behind.

I want a Senator that will stand up against the Administration and call them out when they are wrong.

I want a Senator that can work with both parties and compromise when need be like the late great Senator Henry Clay.

But don't just run a sacrificial lamb against McConnell. Run someone that can get over 45% of the vote, and maybe even over 50%. Run Jonathan Miller. Ben Chandler. Jerry Abramson. Daniel Mongiardo. Crit Luallen. Steve Henry. Brereton Jones. Terry McBrayer.