Politics

Doomed McConnell Opponent Matt Bevin Torches Everything as He Goes Out

Tea Party hopeful Matt Bevin, who isn't going to unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the Kentucky GOP primary today, is taking the scorched earth approach to his looming defeat.

By Adam Chandler
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Tea Party hopeful Matt Bevin, who probably isn't going to unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the Kentucky GOP primary today, is taking the scorched earth approach to his looming defeat.

At the close of what became a nasty primary fight, yesterday, Bevin took to the airwaves to call McConnell a "pretend" conservative. He added, on MSNBC no less, "People are hungry for someone who is real. They are hungry for something that is not the same plastic nonsense that has cause us to have such little respect for our political process and our political officials.”

Pretty pro-forma primary stuff, right? This quote came earlier today:

Then came a New York Times Election Day story on Bevin's anticipated setback at the polls. Here were some of the highlights:

“I’ve never lived my life for the impressions of ill-informed people,” he said, describing himself as unbothered by “folks moved by a false narrative painted by somebody with millions of dollars.”

Despite Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's endorsement of McConnell, which came early, Bevin added that he doesn't believe Paul really means it:

More than the conspiratorial Rand's-actually-voting-for-me statement, Bevin also rejected the idea that after significant historical tensions Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell had actually become friends through their wives.

“I mean, have you met Elaine, have you met Kelley?” he said, referring to Mr. McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, and Mr. Paul’s wife, Kelley Ashby. “I don’t buy it. They are like Mitch and Rand. Does the Mitch-Rand love narrative ring true to you? I don’t know that it does. Nor does it ring true to most Kentuckians. It’s sort of an arranged political marriage.”

Will Bevin's chin music ultimately matter? It could. After a bruising primary, McConnell will likely face a tough battle against Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes.

But it sure is fun to watch.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.