Mitch McConnell

Opinion contributor

Reading this paper’s editorial last Sunday, I was pleased to find the liberal writers actually got something right. The editorial board recognized that, as Senate majority leader, I’m able to do something the other 99 senators can’t. I set the Senate schedule and decide what we will do and, sometimes more importantly, what we won’t.

Unfortunately, that’s all they got right. That isn’t too surprising from a newspaper whose choice among the Democratic gubernatorial candidates just came in third and only won two of 120 counties — neither of which was Jefferson.

That dubious political judgment explains why the CJ repeats the myth that Democrat recruiting failures explain why I’ve won so many competitive elections. In 2014, I ran against the CJ’s own preferred candidate, whom they called “the future” and endorsed in both the primary and the general. I won by 15 1/2 points — and 110 of 120 counties. In 2008, despite a Democratic wave, I beat the CJ-endorsed multimillionaire whom Democrats put up.

So Democrats haven’t had problems recruiting in my prior races. They’ve had problems winning. That’s because Kentuckians know tough, effective leadership when they see it. And especially these days, as President Donald Trump and I work hand in hand to enact the agenda Kentuckians voted for, they are watching the commonwealth reap the rewards.

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When Kentuckians wanted to explore growing industrial hemp, I introduced a bill to fully legalize the crop. I appointed myself to the 2018 farm bill conference committee and worked with my friend Congressman James Comer to ensure hemp was part of the final bill. I was delighted to join President Trump at the White House as he signed my hemp legislation into law. Under Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles’ guidance, farmers, processors and manufacturers are boosting our economy with hemp, a crop now grown in 99 Kentucky counties.

Hearing from Western Kentucky leaders who needed help fighting the war on Asian carp, I brought critical federal resources to defend our waters. I recently joined a roundtable conversation in Marshall County with local leaders and Trump administration officials to announce new efforts to end the crisis.

As Senate Republicans worked with President Trump to pass major tax relief for working families, Sen. Bernie Sanders slapped a new tax on Berea College’s endowment. I refused to allow this school founded by abolitionists to be targeted and secured legislation stopping the tax hike so Berea could continue educating students from low-income backgrounds.

These are just a few of the achievements President Trump and I have secured for Kentucky families. And our fight continues. Together, the president and I are working to address the crisis at our Southern border, support our men and women in uniform and combat the epidemic of opioid and substance abuse.

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While the liberal CJ editorial writers may not like it, our greatest national success has been confirming qualified individuals who respect the Constitution to our federal courts.

After Justice Antonin Scalia’s passing, I announced we would follow almost 130 years of precedent and would not confirm a justice during a presidential election year when the White House and the Senate were controlled by different parties. I decided the next president, whomever the voters elected, would pick the new justice. Americans chose President Trump, and we’ve confirmed his stellar nominees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, to the high court.

We’ve prioritized confirming President Trump’s nominees throughout the federal judiciary, including six Kentuckians. The Senate recently confirmed his 41st nominee to the circuit courts, just below the Supreme Court. That means nearly one-quarter of all federal circuit court judges nationwide have been nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate I’m proud to lead. And traveling across Kentucky, I’ve heard overwhelming support for this transformation of the judiciary.

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Having a Kentuckian as the Senate majority leader is critical. As the only one of the four congressional leaders not from New York or California, I see it as my responsibility to look out for middle America, and Kentucky of course in particular.

Just look at what the other side is proposing. Job-killing ideas like a government takeover of health care and the “Green New Deal.” Efforts to rig government by packing the Supreme Court, changing election rules for their own benefit, and adding two new states with four Democratic senators.

These are dangerous ideas. They would raise your taxes and give the federal government vast control over your life. That’s why President Trump and I are fighting hard to stop them. As long as I’m Senate majority leader, these socialist schemes will never become law.

Kentucky continues to see the positive results of having President Trump in the White House and me leading the Senate. We’ll keep working together, bringing national attention to Kentucky’s priorities and delivering victories for families in the commonwealth.

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Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, is the Senate majority leader.