McConnell's opponent is seen as the most formidable Democratic candidate. Yarmuth on 2014: McConnell 'scared'

Sen. Mitch McConnell is “scared to death” of running against Alison Lundergan Grimes, Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) said Thursday morning.

“They’re showing how much fear they have about this race because our airwaves are already crammed with negative ads about Allison,” Yarmuth said on MSNBC. “We know he’s scared to death.”


Grimes, Kentucky’s Democratic secretary of state, announced her candidacy for the Senate seat on Monday. Despite being a relative political novice, she’s generally seen as the most formidable of the remaining Democratic candidates still considering a run and is said to have big supporters, including the Clinton family.

( PHOTOS: Senators up for election in 2014)

Yarmuth said recent polls have shown it’s going to be a tight race.

“Even McConnell’s own pollster has the race within 5 points,” he said. “He knows he’s in for one heck of a fight.”

As for an impending immigration bill, Yarmuth, who is in the House Gang of Seven, said he’s optimistic the bipartisan group will have a bill to introduce next week and that it can garner 100 or so Republican votes.

“We met right before we left last Friday, the seven of us, and everybody was full steam ahead, very much committed to the process and very optimist that ultimately the product that we produce will be something that can not only solve many of our immigration problems but also pass both houses,” Yarmuth said. “Ultimately, I think we can get 100 or so Republican votes in the house.”

Yarmuth pushed back against critics who have been saying the bill would be nothing more than amnesty for illegal immigrants.

“When our proposal is actually revealed, it’s going to be very very difficult if not impossible to characterize it as amnesty,” he said. “A lot of undocumenteds we don’t think will take the steps because it’s going to be so arduous.”