Thread by @ericawerner

KY Senate debate under way, immediately heated on coronavirus response.

McGrath accuses McConnell of "absolute dereliction of duty" in failing to pass new bill … "Instead of doing that he is trying to ram through a Supreme Court nominee.”

McConnell: "We’ve been negotiating trying to put something reasonable together. .. It’s pretty clear to me that her party doesn’t want to get a solution ... The speaker has been totally unreasonable and not interested in getting an outcome as we’ve tried and tried and tried."

McGrath: “The House passed a bill in May and the Senate went on vacation.”
McConnell (chuckles): “Nobody went on vacation. … The challenge here was the speaker was simply unwilling to cooperate.”
McConnell says Pelosi-Mnuchin talks “Went on and on and on for months.” (#truth)

Switching gears to Scotus ...
McConnell: "No one believes the Supreme Court is going to strike down the Affordable Care Act."

McGrath asked if she would favor enlarging the court -- and dodges.
McConnell points out that she did not answer the question.

On Roe v Wade, McConnell says he's pro-life but you never know what a nominee will do.
"Every Republican nominee has been projected to be a disaster for women and none of them have turned out that way."

McConnell often talks about how, as the one congressional leader not from NY or CA, he allows Ky. to “punch above its weight.”
McGrath came with a response: “We feel like we’ve been sucker-punched.”

McConnell (on law enforcement reform): “In proximity to the election our Democratic friends simply don’t want anything to occur that gets to an actual outcome and a presidential signature.”
McGrath keeps accusing him of making excuses for failing to get things done.

McConnell criticizes McGrath for her repeated references to her military service.
"Her entire campaign is she’s a Marine, she’s a mom, and I’ve been there too long."
To which McGrath replies that he's been there 36 years and "How's it looking Kentucky?"

Closers:
McGrath: “Sen McConnell stopped serving you a long time ago.”
McConnell: McGrath’s first vote would be for Schumer, they’ll make DC & PR states and pack the Court. “She will be a part of all of that, she will enable all of that.”

Early voting in KY starts tomorrow!