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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 26 November 2019

McConnell highlights leadership role in 2020 reelection bid

By BRUCE SCHREINER from the U.S. heartland. He
LONDON, Ky. (AP) — Set- said he's ready to "take my
ting likely themes for his case" to voters.
2020 reelection bid, Senate "You'll be able to make a
Majority Leader Mitch Mc- choice at the end of the
Connell said Monday that year about whether Ken-
his leadership role in Con- tucky wants to still punch
gress allows Kentucky to above its weight," he said.
"punch above its weight" in "Whether we still want to
national politics. have one of the four lead-
Speaking to a business ers (in Congress) not from
group in London, Kentucky, New York or California."
the Republican leader also Also Monday, McCon-
set his sights on Democrat nell took a jab at national
Amy McGrath, calling her Democrats, led by several
his "likely opponent" in the of their presidential can-
coming election season. didates, saying they want
McGrath, a retired Marine to lead the country to-
combat pilot who narrowly ward socialism and citing
lost a 2018 congressional the Green New Deal and
race, is among the Demo- "Medicare for All" propos-
crats vying to challenge als.
him. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., addresses members of the London-Laurel County "They're going to prom-
Without naming McGrath Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson Energy Cooperative in London, Ky., Monday, Nov. 25, ise you everything under
directly, McConnell pre- 2019. the sun," McConnell said.
dicted a "robust" debate Associated Press "There are not enough rich
next year. The senator people to pay for it. ... So
also noted that she raised a key ally of President Don- tegrity contrasts his 35 years can Gov. Matt Bevin by a be skeptical."
nearly $11 million in the first ald Trump for, among other in the Washington swamp, slim margin. But the GOP The Senate majority leader
three months of her cam- things, putting a flock of which is why he keeps ped- won the other statewide is known for his bare-knuck-
paign, saying her donors conservative judges on the dling the same old line that elections to continue its led campaign style lam-
"don't know who she is, but federal bench. somehow Kentuckians are dominance of Bluegrass basting or lampooning his
they know who I am." McGrath's campaign fired benefiting when in fact it's State politics. Kentucky opponents, beginning with
"I'm her finance chairman," back at McConnell's at- Sen. McConnell who has voters have not elected a his first Senate race when
McConnell quipped. tempt to turn his leadership benefited." Democrat to the U.S. Sen- he unseated Democrat
As the top-ranking Re- post into a political asset. McConnell is seeking a sev- ate since Wendell Ford in Walter "Dee" Huddleston.
publican in Congress, Mc- "Sen. McConnell has never enth Senate term in 2020. 1992. McConnell has referred to
Connell is a lightning rod faced an opponent like Kentucky is coming off McConnell said Monday himself as the "Grim Reap-
for Democrats across the Amy McGrath," said her a statewide election this that Kentuckians will de- er" for his strategy of bury-
country who want to see campaign spokesman, month in which Democrat- cide next year whether ing the legislative priorities
him ousted from the Sen- Terry Sebastian. "Her record ic Attorney General Andy they want to keep the of House Democrats in the
ate. McConnell has been of military service and in- Beshear defeated Republi- only congressional leader GOP-led Senate.q

After report of aide quitting,

Biden says Latinos a priority

By MICHELLE L. PRICE phone call that he's spent report says Vanessa Cárde-
Associated Press a lot of time in Florida, Cali- nas raised concerns that
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Joe fornia and even Iowa talk- the campaign focused too
Biden said Monday that ing to Latinos and has no much on white voters in
he's making outreach to shortage of concern for or Iowa and black voters at
Latinos a priority in his Dem- interest in Latinos. the expense of Latino vot-
ocratic presidential cam- The former vice president ers.
paign after a news report was responding to a re- Cardenas could not be
that his most senior Latina port in Politico that his most reached for comment.
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe staffer had resigned out of senior Latina staffer, who Biden said he wished
Biden speaks to local residents, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, in Des frustration. served as national coali- Cardenas well and called
Moines, Iowa. Biden told reporters on a tions director, had quit. The her "very, very good." q
Associated Press