GOP Senate Leader On Losing His Seat: "What Do You Mean?"

Polls show Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has reason to worry about his seat. But it seems no one has told him:

"I'm going to be re-elected. What do you mean?" McConnell said when asked about his race at a briefing with reporters. He added that he had "heard rumors" that Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, who is leading Democrats' Senate campaign effort, "would like for me to lose."

"I'm ahead, I've been ahead all year," McConnell said, estimating that Republicans have a "good chance of staying roughly where we are," with 49 seats in the Senate. Still others are predicting bigger Republican losses in the chamber of perhaps four or five seats.

The Huffington Post reported in June that McConnell's seat is in jeopardy:

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was never expected to be challenged for his seat. A four-term incumbent from a deeply red state, his favorability ratings in Kentucky have stayed steadily over the 50 percent mark for much of the past year. But with the rapid disintegration of the Republican brand and with several self-made political missteps, McConnell now finds himself drawn into an electoral match-up once deemed an afterthought. A recent Survey USA poll had him beating his challenger Bruce Lunsford by a scant four percentage points: 50 percent to 46 percent.

McConnell recently admitted that it was "impossible" for the GOP to regain its majority this year.

Read more about Mitch McConnell here.

Comments

[Cathexis]

Since around 2000, the GOP seems to have decided that if they don't acknowledge something, it doesn't exist.

I suspect that after they lose, they will contineu to show up at the office as if nothing happened. they really have lost whatever toehold they might have had on reality.

[ofbbg]

Wait!! Didn't this happen to that idol of partisan politics and all-around doofus Tom Daschle?? Poop occurs.

[watchingthings]

Maybe he believes that all that's necessary is for him to say it is so, then so it shall be written, and so it shall be done. It'll work in his dreams....but in reality......I doubt it. He's been in for so long that he must think it's his and his alone rightfull seat and nobody can touch it.

[Grada3784]

Yul Brynner, he's not.

[Bluedog12]

This man and his spouse Labor Secretary Elaine Chow represent two of the most corrupt officials in government. The first act of a new administration should be to investigate this corrupt couple.

[seenitall]

wake up, Mitch...you're winning in your dream...

[guntotinganglion]

I believe that Mitch McConnell is actually Gomer Pyles long lost brother, Steaming Pyle.

[BarackMan]

I actually laughed out loud at your post. Thank you for makng my day better.

Obama '08!

[thundermummy]

Golly!

[evekendall]

"I'm going to be re-elected. . ."

Is that a little secret between him and Die-bold?

[guinness327]

McConnell's going down, alright.

As long as you buy him dinner first.

[RobBob]

McConnell is the biggest protector of moneyed interests in all of Washington -- which is saying quite a bit. He's slimier than an okra-raw oyster-nopalito stew. He's so sleazy he gives Paris Hilton the creeps. In short, the country would be in a lot better shape if he was tossed out of office.

[Tomlastliberalleft]

A perfect example of everything that was wrong with the political process as it once existed. Could there be a better poster boy for term limits? Would it not be wonderful to retire these dinosaurs once and for all! Come on Kentucky, you deserve better than this old goat.

[personalpolitical]

I hope he goes down, I'm so sick of him, and I know a lot of Kentucky is as well.

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

He goes down all the time - just ask Mark Foley.

[retiredPhDMD]

Ditch Mitch!

[JeremyO]

The Republicans are in sorry shape. Their principles have been trampled on by themselves and they blame it on the Democrats? What happened to good old fashioned small government and a balanced budget or at least the desire to balance it? The Bush administration has steered the deficit ship to some $7 trillion over the last 7 years and Republicans are still trying to sell the "Democrats are fiscally irresponsible" matra? They may be, but the Repulicans are worse at this point. What do the Republicans really stand for in 2008? Your guess is as good as mine.

[JennyJay]

If America honestly wants change for the future - - that change starts right here - - by not electing
an old power corrupted, dinosaur like Mitch McConnell.
Shifting the power back to the people starts -- this November.

[ManofReason]

Uh....I live in Louisville, Kentucky. As much as I would like to see McConnell unseated, it is highly unlikely. He is entrenched and has a broad base within the state. I don't even think that his support for the war will hurt him, his opponent isn't that strong. He came in 2nd in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. The only news about this race is that it will be close, which McConnell has not seen in a while. I love the enthusiasm from you guys, but Kentucky will vote for McCain 65-35, as we are a deeply red state. We love voting against our own best interests.

[swift goat pet for truth]

I am sorry to say that I believe you completely.