Spending a fresh $1.4 million on a statewide TV ad bashing McConnell is a gamble for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), which has six vulnerable incumbents and a long-held Democratic seat in Iowa to defend.
In Kentucky, Democrats are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
Recent polls show that Grimes is trailing McConnell by an average of 5 points. Massively boosting party spending on her campaign when independent handicappers view her as a long shot could attract criticism — especially from sitting senators worried about their own races. Yet, a decision not to go after McConnell in October would be seen as ceding the race to the minority leader.
Some operatives say the key to Democrats retaining the Senate is to play effective defense. Republicans have to net six seats to claim control of the upper chamber.
But many Democratic donors would love to take down the Senate GOP leader, whom they view as the Senate’s obstructionist in chief. And they like playing offense.
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