McConnell plays without NRSC help

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) enters Tuesday with his political fate on the line, and without the help of a cash-strapped national Republican Party.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has not aired advertisements in support of McConnell in his tougher-than-expected battle against Democratic businessman Bruce Lunsford, and has no plans to launch a last-minute buy on his behalf, NRSC spokesman John Randall said Monday afternoon. The NRSC has faced a large fundraising disadvantage compared to their Democratic counterparts.

Randall did not discuss the internal committee discussions that led to the decision to stay out of Kentucky, only saying that the determination was an indicator of the confidence the committee had in McConnell's re-election bid and his ability to carry himself to victory.

"It's a sign that Senator McConnell has taken nothing for granted in his race in a tough year for Republicans nationally," said Randall. "He can handle himself, and he has handled himself without the help of the NRSC."

Randall argued that McConnell, who entered the final month of the campaign with nearly $6 million cash on hand, had worked hard in the years leading up to the current cycle to position himself for re-election, building a campaign bank account and making contacts with voters.

"He's a Kentucky institution, and we knew going in that it would be a tough race and he knew this as well and put himself in a position to win," Randall said.

While the NRSC has been quiet in the race, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has flooded Bluegrass State airwaves with TV ads hammering McConnell. The DSCC reportedly spent $1.8 million in the last full week of the campaign.

Polls conducted in the last few days show McConnell opening up a slight lead over Lunsford. An automated SurveyUSA poll conducted Oct. 29-Nov. 1 showed McConnell leading 53 percent to 45 percent, while an Oct. 29 Rasmussen survey showed the Republican up 51 percent to 44 percent.