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News Tuesday, Apr 17 2018

GOP’s internal war intensifies in key Senate races, as McConnell faces new attacks

Apr 17, 2018

Senate Republicans’ ongoing struggles are now reaching states as red as Mississipi. With Mitch McConnell’s preferred candidates refusing to run for Senate, Senate Republicans are stuck with weak B-listers facing off against anti-establishment candidates which is leading to nasty primaries full of mudslinging in states like Indiana, West Virginia, and Arizona. Count on the Republican “internal war” to only weaken the Republicans who make it out of their primaries for the November election.

The Washington Post: GOP’s internal war intensifies in key Senate races, as McConnell faces new attacks
By Sean Sullivan | April 17, 2018

  • “A long-running fight between mainstream Republican leaders and controversial GOP candidates is intensifying in a pair of key Senate races, with contenders lashing out at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as his allies try to elevate their Republican opponents.”
  • “In West Virginia, the polarizing former coal executive candidate Don Blankenship issued a written statement excoriating McConnell on Monday. He called the Senate leader a ‘Swamp captain’ and likened his strategy to Russian involvement in the 2016 election.”
  • “The statement came after a group called Mountain Families PAC launched an ad campaign opposing Blankenship…While Mountain Families PAC’s donors are not yet known, the organization has paid a trio of political firms with ties to McConnell allies, according to a federal campaign finance filing. Those firms have previously worked with the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC helmed by a top former McConnell aide; and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the Senate Republican campaign arm.”
  • “But they must also defend seats that Democrats are contesting. In Mississippi, insurgent conservative Chris McDaniel is challenging recently appointed Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.”
  • “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a television ad last week touting Hyde-Smith, marking their first step onto the airwaves in the midterms. Trump and McConnell have yet to endorse Hyde-Smith. But she is seen among many party leaders as preferable to McDaniel, who has been openly critical of McConnell and Senate GOP leaders.”
  • “On Twitter this week, McDaniel singled out McConnell, labeling Hyde-Smith his ‘handpicked’ candidate.”

Read the full story here.


Published: Apr 17, 2018

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