Former Vice President Joe Biden received another endorsement ahead of Monday’s Iowa caucuses: Mitch McConnell’s Senate challenger Amy McGrath. McGrath has a reasonably high profile in the 2020 scene, and liberal pundits have elevated McGrath to give the public the false impression that she has a fighting chance to beat the most powerful legislator in Washington. Of course, the likelihood of McGrath defeating Leader McConnell is on-par with Beto O'Rourke's chances of winning the presidency.
Former Vice President Biden campaigned for McGrath in 2018 during her bid for Congress, in which she ultimately lost to Republican Andy Barr.
"Joe is the Democrat who can bring our country together, restore our reputation abroad, and bring real change to a nation torn apart by partisanship. We need that now more than ever," McGrath said in a statement.
McGrath’s endorsement of the former VP is curious. VP Biden is the antithesis of fresh leadership, which McGrath has called for in Washington, as Team Mitch reminded her:
Wait until she finds out Biden was in the Senate for 36 years. pic.twitter.com/nzrFxV0jlX
— Team Mitch (@Team_Mitch) January 31, 2020
The most memorable part of McGrath’s long-shot bid to unseat the most talented GOP majority leader in decades is her flip-flop on the nomination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. In the span of one day, McGrath said she would have voted to support Kavanaugh and flipped to the opposite stance less than 12 hours later. McGrath was visibly unprepared for a question on the Justice’s nomination. Kavanaugh’s confirmation can be largely credited to the tactics of Leader McConnell, and Justice Kavanaugh’s confirmation fired up the GOP base, so for his challenger to be unprepared for a question on Kavanaugh’s nomination spoke to her preparedness for primetime, so to speak.
Kentucky’s Amy Mcgrath canceled her appearance on MSNBC tonight at the last minute after a rough campaign launch this week w/ her flip-flopping on Kavanaugh.
— Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) July 15, 2019
pic.twitter.com/j4JltnD0cj
I was asked earlier today about Judge Brett Kavanaugh and I answered based upon his qualifications to be on the Supreme Court. But upon further reflection and further understanding of his record, I would have voted no.
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) July 10, 2019
This endorsement is a morale boost for the former vice president as Bernie climbs in the polls, but will not give Biden any real, significant returns. This Senate contest is a reach, at best, for Democrats; it is still “likely Republican,” per Cook Political Report.
Before she faces Leader McConnell, McGrath has to emerge victorious from the the Democratic Primary on May 19.