GOP Governors Mike DeWine (OH) and Larry Hogan (MD) jumped to the defense of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after his Democratic challenger used them as leverage in a new television ad. Amy McGrath, who is set to challenge Leader McConnell in November, used images of Govs. DeWine and Hogan in an attack against Leader McConnell.
Just like when I was in combat, we can see our leaders on the front lines, only this time it’s in our states. Democratic and Republican governors are all showing us what REAL leadership is - and political party has nothing to do with it. pic.twitter.com/ANmjuEibhl
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) May 16, 2020
McGrath claims that political identification has "nothing to do with it," while launching a shamelessly partisan attack on Leader McConnell, and using his GOP counterparts as pawns.
Gov. DeWine refuted McGrath’s partisan rhetoric just after the ad was unveiled, and demanded that she keep him out of her attacks on Leader McConnell.
"Ohioans are focused exclusively on getting through COVID-19 and getting our people back to work and I'm proud to work with partners at the local and federal level to get it done. It’s for that reason that I’m particularly disappointed with an attack ad by Amy McGrath that uses my image against my friend, Mitch McConnell,” Gov. DeWine said in a statement. “Mitch and I have worked together for a long time and I know that he is focused, as I am, on this crisis and I appreciate his leadership. I ask for the McGrath campaign to remove my image from her advertising immediately.”
Gov. Hogan echoed his Ohio colleague’s grievance:
As I've said repeatedly, this is not the time for partisan politics or finger pointing. I appreciate the praise, but campaign ads politicizing the coronavirus response are not constructive towards the urgent goal of bringing everyone together to fight our common enemy: the virus. https://t.co/YsSaP14rIn
— Larry Hogan (@LarryHogan) May 16, 2020
McGrath will not rescind the ad, which uses COVID-19 as leverage and attempts to paint Republicans as divided.
(2/2) Governors on both sides of the aisle are doing important work. Governor DeWine is one of them. It is disappointing that he rejects sincere appreciation from a Democrat, and it shows how far we have strayed from our ideals as a nation. I strongly stand by my ad.
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) May 16, 2020
Leader McConnell’s re-election campaign refuted McGrath’s partisan virtue signaling:
"In the same 60 seconds, Amy McGrath claims the coronavirus pandemic response is not about politics while she exploits the image of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for her own political gain,” a McConnell campaign spokesperson told The Hill. “Extreme liberal McGrath makes clear that she is only interested in shamelessly cozying up to popular leaders like Governor DeWine to score cheap political points."
McGrath’s bid against Leader McConnell is a long shot; once again, the Kentucky Democrat’s swing-and-miss attempt at an attack on Leader McConnell backfired.
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