Mitch McConnell

==Electoral history==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Year
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Office
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Type
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Party
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Main opponent
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Party
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=4 | Votes for McConnell
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Result
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | [[Swing (politics)|Swing]]
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Total
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | %
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{abbr|2=Position|P}}.
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{tooltip|2=Change in percentage value since previous election|±%}}
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | '''[[1984 United States Senate election in Kentucky|1984]]'''
| rowspan=13 | [[List of United States senators from Kentucky|Senator]]
| Primary
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan=2 | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| C. Roger Harker
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 39,465
| 79.22%
| 1st
| N/A
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}};" |
| N/A
|-
| General
| [[Walter Dee Huddleston]] ([[Incumbent|I]])
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 644,990
| 49.90%
| 1st
| +13.03%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| '''Gain'''
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | '''[[1990 United States Senate election in Kentucky|1990]]'''
| Primary
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan=2 | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| Tommy Klein
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 64,063
| 88.52%
| 1st
| +9.30%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}};" |
| N/A
|-
| General
| [[Harvey I. Sloane]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 478,034
| 52.19%
| 1st
| +2.28%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| '''Hold'''
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | '''[[1996 United States Senate election in Kentucky|1996]]'''
| Primary
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan=2 | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| Tommy Klein
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 88,620
| 88.59%
| 1st
| +0.07%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}};" |
| N/A
|-
| General
| [[Steve Beshear]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 724,794
| 55.45%
| 1st
| +3.27%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| '''Hold'''
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | '''[[2002 United States Senate election in Kentucky|2002]]'''
| General
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| [[Lois Combs Weinberg]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 731,679
| 64.68%
| 1st
| +9.22%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| '''Hold'''
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | '''[[2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky|2008]]'''
| Primary
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan=2 | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| Daniel Essek
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 168,127
| 86.09%
| 1st
| -2.50%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}};" |
| N/A
|-
| General
| [[Bruce Lunsford]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 953,816
| 52.97%
| 1st
| -11.7%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| '''Hold'''
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | '''[[2014 United States Senate election in Kentucky|2014]]'''
| Primary
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan=2 | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| [[Matt Bevin]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 213,753
| 60.19%
| 1st
| -25.9%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}};" |
| N/A
|-
| General
| [[Alison Lundergan Grimes]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 806,787
| 56.19%
| 1st
| +3.22%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| '''Hold'''
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | '''[[2020 United States Senate election in Kentucky|2020]]'''
| Primary
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan=2 | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| [[Wesley Morgan (politician)|Wesley Morgan]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 342,660
| 82.80%
| 1st
| +22.61
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}};" |
| N/A
|-
| General
| [[Amy McGrath]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 1,233,315
| 57.76%
| 1st
| +1.57%
| {{yes2|Won}}
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| '''Hold'''
|-
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=15 |
|}

===1984===
{{Main|1984 United States Senate election in Kentucky}}

In [[1984 United States Senate election in Kentucky|1984]], McConnell ran for the [[U.S. Senate]] against two-term [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] incumbent [[Walter Dee Huddleston]]. The election race was not decided until the last returns came in, when McConnell won by 3,437 votes out of more than 1.2 million votes cast, just over 0.4%.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dee upset by McConnell in close race |first=Mark R. |last=Chellgren |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XLRDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1340,2543281 |newspaper=Williamson Daily News |date=November 7, 1984 |access-date=February 13, 2012 |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195858/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XLRDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1340%2C2543281 |url-status=live }}</ref> McConnell was the only Republican Senate challenger to win that year, despite [[Ronald Reagan]]'s landslide victory in the [[United States presidential election|presidential election]].<ref>{{Cite web|orig-date=1985|title=Democrats Have Net Gain of Two Senate Seats.|url=https://library.cqpress.com/cqalmanac/login.php?requested=%2Fcqalmanac%2Fdocument.php%3Fid%3Dcqal84-856-25733-1150757|access-date=January 6, 2022|website=Congressional Quarterly|archive-date=August 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820195341/http://library.cqpress.com/cqalmanac/login.php?requested=%2Fcqalmanac%2Fdocument.php%3Fid%3Dcqal84-856-25733-1150757|url-status=live}}</ref>

McConnell's campaign was noted for a series of television campaign spots called "Where's Dee", which featured a group of [[bloodhound]]s trying to find Huddleston,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4-4EPc2xvU |title=McConnell Attacks Huddleston – Part 1 |format=video |last1=kentuckyinsider |date=Oct 29, 2008 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=February 24, 2013 |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195842/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4-4EPc2xvU |url-status=live }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=August 2019}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K4KOhlZR9s |title=McConnell Attacks Huddleston – Part 2 |format=video |last1=kentuckyinsider |date=Oct 29, 2008 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=February 24, 2013 |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195903/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K4KOhlZR9s |url-status=live }}</ref> implying that Huddleston's attendance record in the Senate was poor.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The campaign manager: running and winning local elections|last=Shaw|first=Catherine M.|publisher=Westview Press|year=2000|isbn=978-0-8133-6848-1|location=Boulder, CO|page=[https://archive.org/details/campaignmanagerr0000shaw/page/201 201]|chapter=Media--Radio and Television|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/campaignmanagerr0000shaw|url=https://archive.org/details/campaignmanagerr0000shaw/page/201}} (citing the "Switch to Mitch"/"Have you seen Dee Huddleston?" television ad as "another example of humor used in [a] negative spot" and containing images and a transcript of the campaign ad.)</ref><ref name=corny>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mitch-mcconnell-political-ads_n_3581420 |title=Mitch McConnell Likes The Corny Wordplay With His Political Opponents' Last Names |author=Linkins, Jason |work=[[HuffPost]]|date=July 11, 2013 |access-date=August 17, 2014 |archive-date=August 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804062234/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mitch-mcconnell-political-ads_n_3581420 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was the first Republican to win a statewide election in Kentucky since 1968, and benefited from the popularity of President [[Ronald Reagan]], up for re-election, who was supported by 60% of Kentucky voters in the same year.<ref name="Costa">{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/americangovernme0000unse|title=American Government 12/13|last=Costa|first=Robert|publisher=McGraw-Hill Higher Education|year=2013|isbn=978-0-07-8051135|editor-last=Stinebrickner|editor-first=Bruce|edition=42nd|location=New York, NY|pages=[https://archive.org/details/americangovernme0000unse/page/100 100–103]|chapter=Master of the Senate: Mitchell McConnell gets the job done|url=https://archive.org/details/americangovernme0000unse/page/100}}</ref>

===1990===
{{Main|1990 United States Senate election in Kentucky}}

In [[1990 United States Senate election in Kentucky|1990]], McConnell faced former [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]] Mayor [[Harvey I. Sloane]], winning by 4.4%.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1990election.pdf|title=Statistics of the congressional election of November 6, 1990|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=July 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721043024/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1990election.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

===1996===
{{Main|1996 United States Senate election in Kentucky}}

In [[1996 United States Senate election in Kentucky|1996]], he defeated [[Steve Beshear]] by 12.6%,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1996/96Stat.htm#12|title=96 PRESIDENTIAL and CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION STATISTICS|website=clerk.house.gov|access-date=June 21, 2019|archive-date=June 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606053554/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1996/96Stat.htm#12|url-status=live}}</ref> even as [[Bill Clinton]] [[1996 United States presidential election in Kentucky|narrowly carried]] the state. McConnell's campaign ran television ads warning voters to not "Get BeSheared" and included images of [[sheep shearing|sheep being sheared]].<ref name=corny />

===2002===
{{Main|2002 United States Senate election in Kentucky}}

In [[2002 United States Senate election in Kentucky|2002]], he was unopposed in the Republican primary. He then defeated [[Lois Combs Weinberg]] by 29.4%.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2002/2002Stat.htm#17|title=2002 ELECTION STATISTICS|website=clerk.house.gov|access-date=June 21, 2019|archive-date=January 5, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105011809/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2002/2002Stat.htm#17|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2008===
{{Main|2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky}}

In [[2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky|2008]], McConnell faced his closest contest since 1990. He defeated [[Bruce Lunsford]] by 6%.<ref name="almanac"/>

===2014===
{{Main|2014 United States Senate election in Kentucky}}

In [[2014 United States Senate election in Kentucky|2014]], McConnell faced Louisville businessman [[Matt Bevin]] in the Republican primary.<ref>{{cite news|last=Killough|first=Ashley|title=Conservative challenger takes on top Senate Republican|url=https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/24/conservative-challenger-takes-on-top-senate-republican/|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=July 24, 2013|access-date=January 27, 2020|archive-date=January 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127103455/https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/24/conservative-challenger-takes-on-top-senate-republican/|url-status=live}}</ref> The 60.2% won by McConnell was the lowest voter support for a Kentucky U.S. senator in a primary since 1938.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://editions.lib.umn.edu/smartpolitics/2014/05/20/mcconnell-records-weakest-kent/|title=McConnell Records Weakest Kentucky US Senate Incumbent Primary Victory in 75+ Years|work=Smart Politics|first=Eric|last=Ostermeier|date=May 20, 2014|access-date=January 27, 2020|archive-date=January 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127103735/https://editions.lib.umn.edu/smartpolitics/2014/05/20/mcconnell-records-weakest-kent/|url-status=live}}</ref> He faced Democratic Secretary of State [[Alison Lundergan Grimes]] in the general election, and defeated Grimes, 56.2–40.7%.<ref>{{cite news | title=Mitch McConnell Wins Re-Election, A.P. Says, as Republicans Make Election Day Push | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/05/us/politics/midterm-elections.html | access-date=November 4, 2014 | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=November 4, 2014 | archive-date=November 5, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105070126/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/05/us/politics/midterm-elections.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%20Results/2010-2019/2014/2014%20General%20Election%20Results.pdf | title=2014 General Election Results | website=elect.ky.gov | publisher=Kentucky State Board of Elections | access-date=January 27, 2020 | archive-date=January 27, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127103450/https://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%2520Results/2010-2019/2014/2014%2520General%2520Election%2520Results.pdf | url-status=live }}</ref>

===2020===
{{Main|2020 United States Senate election in Kentucky}}

In the November 2020 general election, McConnell faced Democratic nominee [[Amy McGrath]], a former [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] fighter pilot; and [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]] nominee Brad Barron, a businessman and farmer.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/30/politics/kentucky-primary-amy-mcgrath/index.html|title=Amy McGrath wins Kentucky Senate Democratic primary, CNN projects|work=[[CNN]]|first1=Gregory|last1=Krieg|first2=Kate|last2=Sullivan|date=June 30, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=October 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001164825/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/30/politics/kentucky-primary-amy-mcgrath/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Debate set in McConnell-McGrath Senate race in Kentucky |url=https://www.wkyt.com/2020/10/02/stage-set-for-televised-mcconnell-mcgrath-debate-on-october-12/ |access-date=October 14, 2020 |work=wkyt.com |date=October 2, 2020 |archive-date=October 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017162549/https://www.wkyt.com/2020/10/02/stage-set-for-televised-mcconnell-mcgrath-debate-on-october-12/ |url-status=live }}</ref> During the campaign, McConnell and McGrath agreed to one hour-long, socially distanced debate on October 12.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/elections/kentucky/2020/10/02/amy-mcgrath-vs-mitch-mcconnell-debate-after-weeks-sparring/3596396001/|publisher=Courier Journal|title=Amy McGrath vs. Mitch McConnell debate is on|date=October 2, 2020|access-date=October 3, 2020|archive-date=November 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195842/https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/elections/kentucky/2020/10/02/amy-mcgrath-vs-mitch-mcconnell-debate-after-weeks-sparring/3596396001/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://local12.com/news/local/kentucky-senator-mitch-mcconnell-to-debate-challenger-amy-mcgrath|title=Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell to debate challenger Amy McGrath|author=BRUCE SCHREINER|agency=Associated Press|date=October 11, 2020|website=WKRC|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=November 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195856/https://local12.com/news/local/kentucky-senator-mitch-mcconnell-to-debate-challenger-amy-mcgrath|url-status=live}}</ref> McConnell was elected to his seventh term on November&nbsp;3 when he defeated McGrath by nearly 20 percentage points.<ref>{{Cite news|title=U.S. Senate Election Results|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 3, 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-senate.html|access-date=November 4, 2020|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=November 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104001920/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-senate.html|url-status=live}}</ref>