He bested Democratic opponent Alison Lundergan Grimes
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 5, 2014) — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell won re-election to a record sixth term in the United States Senate from Kentucky, leading a sweep of all incumbent office holders running for federal office in the Commonwealth.
With McConnell’s victory over Democratic opponent Alison Lundergan Grimes, Republicans picked up the seats needed to retake control of the Senate, causing McConnell, 72, to be a prime candidate as the first U.S. Senate majority leader from Kentucky since 1947.
“Tonight, Kentuckians said we can do better as a nation,” McConnell said in his victory speech in Louisville. “Tonight, they said we can have real change in Washington. Real change, and that’s just what I intend to deliver.”
Polls had shown a relatively tight race for months, but in the end, McConnell bested Grimes in every area of the state, winning by a surprising 15-point margin.
In Lexington, Grimes’ hometown, the Democrat won with a slight 52 percent majority, while McConnell took several Eastern Kentucky coal counties such as Magoffin, Breathitt, Pike, Floyd and Knott.
McConnell praised Grimes following his victory, telling his supporters “it took a lot of guts” for the 35-year-old Kentucky secretary of state to campaign for the senate title.
“She earned a lot of votes and she earned my respect,” McConnell said. “I admire her willingness to step in the arena and fight as hard as she did.”
Grimes told her supporters she would “continue to fight for the commonwealth of Kentucky each and every day.”
“While tonight didn’t bring us the result that we had hoped for, this journey — this fight for you — was worth it,” Grimes said.
The Kentucky House election winners by district are as follows:
1st District: Republican Ed Whitfield
2nd District: Republican Brett Guthrie
3rd District: Democrat John Yarmuth
4th District: Republican Thomas Massie
5th District: Republican Hal Rogers
6th District: Republican Andy Barr
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