The former president spoke to a capacity crowd of nearly 1,800 people, along with Governor Steve Beshear, Attorney General Jack Conway and other dignitaries in the McCracken County High School gymnasium about why he says Kentuckians should elect Grimes to the U.S. Senate. This was Clinton's first visit to western Kentucky to help bolster Grimes' efforts to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, but it marked his third trip to the commonwealth to campaign for her. In August he spoke at a fundraiser in Lexington and a campaign rally in Hazard.
Clinton spoke about the recent deluge of negative ads that have been circulating throughout the state about Grimes, saying he admires her unwavering attitude in the face of huge spending by the McConnell campaign.
"There are some who had they been in Alison's position, and somebody dropped 50 million dollars in negative ads on them would have broken. There's some who would have given up and just gone through the motions, and instead the more they hit her the better she got. The more they hit her the stronger she got." Clinton said.
Clinton went on to say that the recent attacks on Grimes regarding her unwillingness to reveal who she voted for in the last election are designed to divert voter's attention from the real issues. "The reason Alison's opponent wants to make this about who voted for whom in 2012 is that he knows if you vote on how they are going to vote for the next six years you will elect her, and by a very healthy margin." Clinton said.
Grimes, who has advocated raising the minimum wage, noted that McConnell has voted against a hike numerous times, while voting to give himself a raise on several occasions. "Fight back against a senator who has literally become 'Rich Mitch' on the backs of Kentuckians, increasing his pay each and every year while voting to keep Kentucky poor 17 times, voting no to increasing the minimum wage." Grimes said.
Clinton also espoused the idea that it is time to raise the minimum wage, saying it will help struggling families and boost the economy. McConnell is currently in the midst of his own bus tour through Kentucky's coal counties. Grimes has come under fire from McConnell for her association with the former president, who he says supports President Obama's anti-coal energy policies. Grimes has repeatedly said she doesn't share Obama's views on coal.
A recent Bluegrass Poll showed McConnell and Grimes locked in a dead heat.
