WASHINGTON, November 5 (RIA Novosti) – Outside funding along with the strategy of portraying US President Barack Obama as an enemy of Kentucky have added to Republican Senator Mitch Mcconnel's victory in his own state in the 2014 US midterm elections, Dewey Clayton, professor of political science in University of Louisville told RIA Novosti Tuesday.
"Early on, McConnell painted President Obama as an enemy of the coal industry in Kentucky, and as no friend of the state," Clayton said, noting although the mining is not as huge as it used to be, the industry is still big, and important to people.
McConnell took lead in the race for Kentucky seat in US Senate leaving his Democratic opponent Alison Lundergan Grimes, according to the early reports.
The professor noted that McConnell's strategy all along for 18 months has essentially been to nationalize this election and criticize Obama.
"McConnell wanted to make this election about national politics, make it about Obama, who does not have very high approval ratings," he explained.
"What he has done was showing images of President Obama juxtaposed to Alison Grimes, and therefore saying to the citizens of the state of Kentucky that their vote for Alison Grimes is essentially a vote for President Obama."
Clayton emphasized that money has made a difference and played an important role in this year's election. He noted that just a couple of weeks ago the race was tight, and Grimes had higher favorable ratings on voters.
"I think what happened was that while the race was close both campaigns decided to start doubling down and pouring more money into the campaign," Clayton said, adding that Senator McConnell had more money on hand than Grimes, as well as received more outside funding.
"Super PACs, the organizations that can spend money independently on the candidates without any limitations as to how much money they can spend, began attacking Grimes with ads," he explained. "I think that barrage of so many negative ads finally had its effect."
Clayton stressed that Kentucky is a key state, while the Republicans need to gain a net of six seats to take over the majority of the US Senate.
"This is clearly a crucial state that the Democrats had hoped to take up early on," he asserted, claiming that McConnel’s win is going to hurt the Democrats" chances and holding on to the Senate this time.
"This is not a good sign for Democrats early on like this," the professor said.
On Tuesday, Americans voted in the midterm elections to elect 435 members of the House of Representatives, 46 state legislatures, 36 senators and 36 governors. The vote will determine which of the two US political parties will take control of the Congress.
