McConnell launches ad touting role in passing coronavirus relief

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday launched a new ad for his reelection campaign touting his role in passing a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package that was signed into law last week.

The ad praises the stimulus, which a narrator says provides boosts for “American families [and] small business jobs.”

“America is in crisis like never before. And in times of crisis, we look to leaders. Mitch McConnell led the passage of the biggest economic rescue package in history,” the narrator says. “One leader brought our divided country together in a unanimous, bipartisan vote: Mitch McConnell.” 

The legislative package, which garnered bipartisan support and passed the Senate in a 96-0 vote, beefs up unemployment insurance for four months, provides checks directly to Americans making less than $99,000 and provides billions of dollars to hospitals and industries impacted by the outbreak, among other things.

McConnell took the lead in negotiating the most recent round of coronavirus legislation, largely sidelining the House and negotiating with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

However, some Democrats said the stimulus provided too many benefits to corporations and not workers, a complaint they are seeking to remedy in an additional package.

The Kentucky Senate race between McConnell and Democrat Amy McGrath has not seen a respite in advertising despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and McConnell’s efforts to pass related legislation in the Senate. 

McConnell’s campaign urged McGrath to take down an ad criticizing the Senate leader’s early response to the COVID-19 outbreak and later released a video of its own titled “Amy McGrath Lies.”

“Amy McGrath uses this crisis, spending millions on false, partisan attacks,” a female narrator says. “But while Amy McGrath lies, Mitch McConnell leads.”

The race between McConnell and McGrath is expected to be an expensive battle for the Kentucky Senate seat as each candidate raises massive sums of money that could fuel further ads. The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, rates the race as “Likely” Republican.