Political analysts diverge on how competitive this race is. Senator McConnell, the upper chamber’s top Republican, easily defeated his tea-party challenger in the primary, but his race against Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) isn't a slam dunk.
McConnell suffers from low job-approval ratings in his state, despite his lofty position in Washington. Polls show the McConnell-Grimes matchup to be tight. But Secretary Grimes is green as a candidate. McConnell is short on charisma, but a seasoned politician – both in campaigns and in bringing federal money to Kentucky.
Cook calls the race a tossup, Rothenberg calls it lean Republican, and Sabato calls it likely Republican.
