McConnell Senate opponent Amy McGrath defends out-of-state contributions

Amy McGrath, the Kentucky Democrat challenging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) in the Bluegrass State’s Senate race this year, defended out-of-state contributions to her campaign in an interview Friday. 

McGrath, a combat veteran who rose to prominence with an unsuccessful House bid in 2018, has proven to be a fundraising powerhouse this cycle, bringing in $17.4 million in the second quarter of 2020. An ABC News analysis of her fundraising showed that about 96 percent of contributions to her campaign came from outside of Kentucky.

“This is the thing, if you’re going to compete against the Senate majority leader, you have to raise the resources not only from Kentucky but outside,” she said on “The View. “When that veteran in Iowa is giving me $25 a month …he’s not giving me draft legislation at the same time. He just wants better government. He wants patriots to get into office who are going to do the right thing. That’s why I’m running.”

When asked about the large percentage of her campaign contributions coming from out-of-state donors, @AmyMcGrathKY tells us: “If you’re gonna compete against the Senate majority leader, you have to raise the resources not only from Kentucky but outside.” https://t.co/HqrMditfAz pic.twitter.com/dCWjvwT5GO

— The View (@TheView) July 24, 2020

McGrath maintained that she is “not beholden to anyone except the people of Kentucky” and noted that McConnell also gets the majority of his donations from outside the state.

The ABC News analysis found that 90 percent of the Senate majority leader’s donations were from outside the state.

The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, rates the race as “likely Republican,” but Democrats excitedly point to McGrath’s gargantuan war chest heading toward November.

She faces an uphill climb against the incredibly well-connected majority leader in a conservative state that reelected him by 15 points in 2014 and elected President Trump by about 30 points in 2016. 

Several polls have shown McConnell with a double-digit lead, though others have shown him with a single-digit advantage.