McConnell Hires Paul Strategist as Campaign Manager
No one can accuse Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of not preparing for his 2014 campaign -- or of failing to take the potential for a tea party primary challenge seriously.
McConnell tapped Jesse Benton to run his next Senate campaign, the Associated Press reported. Benton ran both Ron Paul's presidential campaign and his son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's, 2010 race.
Rand Paul beat McConnell's favored candidate, then-Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, when he won the GOP Senate primary in 2010.
McConnell, thus far, has no announced opponent for either the primary of general election, and has a warchest that's already stocked with over $6 million.
The AP:
McConnell had said he was looking for a campaign manager with experience running and winning races in Kentucky and who had a reputation for unifying people. His choice of Benton drew immediate accolades.
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McConnell expects to be targeted by Democrats, though no challenger has stepped forward yet. Neither has a tea party Republican hinted at mounting a primary challenge. The hiring of Benton sends a clear signal to any potential tea party opponents to stand down.
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