Senate Democratic primary heads to finish line in Kentucky
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — One of Kentucky's most unpredictable political races in years is headed toward the wire Tuesday, but it's taking a full week after the June 23 primary to sort out a possible photo finish in the Democratic U.S. Senate contest.
Absentee ballots that stacked up amid the coronavirus pandemic have delayed the vote count in the neck-and-neck race between progressive candidate Charles Booker and establishment-backed Amy McGrath. Both are vying for the chance to take on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who coasted to victory in the GOP primary in his bid for a seventh term.
The lead in the Democratic primary has flipped back and forth between Booker and McGrath as results of individual counties' absentee tally trickle in. McGrath had a lead of 1,106 votes as of 4:30 p.m. Monday, but both campaigns were awaiting absentee counts from the state's two most heavily populated counties, Jefferson and Fayette. Booker, who is from Louisville in Jefferson County, had led earlier in the day by a mere 20 votes.
For months, McGrath looked to be coasting toward the nomination as the former Marine pilot raised huge amounts of campaign cash and exchanged attacks with McConnell in what seemed a prelude to the fall campaign. But the Democratic contest in this GOP-dominated state turned volatile when Booker, a Black state lawmaker, seized momentum in the final weeks.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/senate-democratic-primary-heads-finish-212941899.html
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