783. 5%
The Bluegrass Poll has just been released showing the incumbent, Addison Mitchell McConnell, Jr. with a 5% advantage over the challenger, my friend Alison Lundergan Grimes.
5% difference. There are two places to make that up. The main one is Jefferson County and specifically the Jefferson County liberals who have found fault with Alison on coal, immigration, and Obama. If you sit this one out, consider yourself a McConnell supporter. That's how he wins. That's how Anne Northup won in 1996 - Louisville liberals mad at Mike Ward over one issue, throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Ask yourselves real hard and with deep sincerity - will you be responsible for Mitch McConnell's re-election? . . .
The second place to make it up is in the Central Time Zone precincts. For the first time since the late 1980s, the votes of "west of I-65" can make a difference. Typically when the polls close in the Eastern Time Zone, the election is essentially over because Democratic candidates have not appealed to Democratic voters west of I-65. This year is different. This candidate is different. For the first time in two decades, we will be looking to places like Owensboro, Henderson, Paducah, {West Kentucky} and elsewhere to make a difference. And I believe they will. I'm keeping my plans for a Victory Celebration in Lexington on Election Night.
