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If Mitch McConnell thinks his Senate seat will be safe if he just ties himself tightly enough to Donald Trump, the stunning upset in the Kentucky governor’s race on Tuesday night should give him second thoughts.

Incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin tried to nationalize the race by making it all about Trump – even bringing in the president for an election-eve rally – and not only didn’t it work, but he managed to lose a state that the president carried by 30 points.

In the same way, McConnell – like Bevin – is hoping that wrapping his arms around Trump will save his job when he faces off against his formidable Democratic opponent, Amy McGrath.

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Unfortunately for McConnell, as MSNBC’s Vaughn Hillyard pointed out on Tuesday night, the other thing he has in common with Bevin is that he is just as unpopular.

Video:

The results of Tuesday’s race for governor in Kentucky should have Mitch McConnell worried. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/YVsVCIDHrv — PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) November 6, 2019

Wrapping yourself around Trump is a recipe for disaster

Republicans in Kentucky learned the hard way that three years is a lifetime in politics, even when your state is a dark shade of red.

Wrapping yourself around Trump may have worked in 2016 when he carried the state by 30 points, but after three years of Trump’s chaos, incompetence and corruption, it might not be such a good idea.

Trump still has the ability to motivate rural voters and get them to turn out for GOP candidates, but what he and McConnell seem to underestimate is just how much they have energized voters in metro areas and suburbs.

Mitch McConnell – one of the most hated senators in America – might want to rethink his campaign strategy after Democrats scored a major victory in his state on Tuesday night.

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