One of the Democrats competing with Amy McGrath in Kentucky's 2020 Senate race is not letting her forget about Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Mike Broihier, a Lincoln County farmer, launched a surprise attack ad Wednesday morning that calls out McGrath, the primary frontrunner, for her flip-flopping on whether she would have voted to confirm Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ad begins with the emotional testimony that Christine Blasey Ford gave to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the fall of 2018 after she had accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s. Kavanaugh vehemently denied those accusations.

Broihier narrates the 81-second spot over various news clips, saying he believed Ford from the start.

"Stand with Dr. Ford and the women of Kentucky," Broihier says, as the same words are repeated in white on a stark, black background. "Stand against Brett Kavanaugh and Amy McGrath."

Background:Would Amy McGrath have voted Kavanaugh onto Supreme Court? Depends on when you ask her

A day after she announced her candidacy last July, McGrath told The Courier Journal that although she thought Ford's accusation was credible, and although she was "very concerned" about Kavanaugh's "far-right stances," she would have voted to confirm Kavanaugh.

McGrath explained by stating "there was nothing in his record that I think would disqualify him in any way."

But just hours after her interview with The Courier Journal, and after she received a barrage of criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike on social media, McGrath reversed course and said she would not have voted to confirm for Kavanaugh.

"I was asked earlier today about Judge Brett Kavanaugh and I answered based upon his qualifications to be on the Supreme Court. But upon further reflection and further understanding of his record, I would have voted no," McGrath tweeted.

In his new ad Wednesday, Broihier says McGrath "flip-flopped at the instruction of D.C. consultants," and after "backlash from women across Kentucky, McGrath flip-flopped again."

After a clip of McGrath talking on MSNBC about how saying "yes" to Kavanaugh "wasn't the best answer," Broihier cuts in with a sharp rebuke:

"This isn't about knowing the right answer for voters, Amy," Broihier says. "It's about knowing right from wrong."

Broihier then adds that he "believed Dr. Ford from the start."

A McGrath campaign spokesperson told The Courier Journal that they had no comment on the new ad.

Broihier and McGrath are both Marine veterans who are vying to be the Democrat that gets a shot at unseating Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November.

But the similarities mostly end there, with Broihier positioning himself as a progressive alternative to McGrath's more moderate policy proposals.

And money is another area where the two candidates greatly differ.

McGrath raked in $12.8 million during the first quarter of 2020 fundraising, while Broihier hauled in $152,426, or about 1% of McGrath's total, according to federal campaign records.

More:McGrath outpaces McConnell's 'record-breaking' fundraising haul in midst of pandemic

The fundraising disparities show that despite her early campaign slip-ups related to Kavanaugh, McGrath still is seen by many as having the best shot at unseating McConnell.

But Broihier, who also has experience as a teacher and rural journalist, thinks that Kentucky voters will reject McGrath as another "Republican-light" candidate who does not have a chance against the longtime senator in November.

"We are proud to be the only campaign in this race gaining momentum in Kentucky at just the right time — just as voters are beginning to tune into this primary," Broihier said in an April 18 post on Medium.

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"That’s because my platform doesn’t change when a new poll comes out, or when a donor has a different point of view — that’s because these ideas are a part of who I am."

And in a statement released in conjuction with Wednesday's ad, Broihier's campaign spokesman Connor Murphy said McConnell's opponent in November cannot be "afraid to stand up for what they believe in."

"This primary has not yet been decided," Murphy said. "We will continue to raise issues that Democrats must consider before choosing a nominee."

As for the chance that Broihier and McGrath could appear at a forum together ahead of the primary, Murphy added that the campaign is "in talks with media outlets to set up a May debate."

Broihier and McGrath are running against eight other Democratic candidates, including state Rep. Charles Booker, of Louisville, in the Kentucky primary election, which has been pushed from May 19 to June 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com or 502-582-7030. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.