The Senate minority leader has spent the entire 2022 election telling anyone who will listen that a) Republicans should win back the majority this fall and b) the easiest way to blow it is to nominate candidates who can't appeal to general election voters.
"How do you screw this up?" McConnell said in an interview earlier this year. "I'm gonna mention four names, some of which you may actually remember: Christine O'Donnell, Sharron Angle, Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock."
That quartet were Republican nominees for Senate in 2010 and 2012. They all won primaries fueled by tea party outrage but ultimately lost general elections because they proved unable to expand their appeal beyond the GOP base.
And now, McConnell may we watching it happen all over again.
With just hours to go before the Pennsylvania primary, it's clear that Kathy Barnette, a little known conservative, is a real threat to beat TV doctor Mehmet Oz and wealthy businessman David McCormick for the Republican nomination in a state seen as critical to the party's majority hopes.
Barnette has not been vetted in anything close to the way Oz and McCormick have and, in truth, it may be too late to stop her momentum. In just the last few days, a series of Islamaphobic tweets from Barnette have come to light as have questions about her military service.
"It’s the job of the media to do the vetting," Barnette told Steve Bannon on Monday. "And they’ve been derelict in their duty like they are derelict in so many other things. It’s not my job. It’s not my fault that they didn’t vet me."
(In truth, if Barnette wins, the campaigns of Oz and McCormick will kick themselves for not seeing her as a threat early enough.)
If Barnette wins, at least one prominent Republican -- not named Mitch McConnell -- thinks the party will be in deep trouble in November.
"Kathy Barnette will never be able to win the General Election against the Radical Left Democrats," said former President Donald Trump late last week. "She has many things in her past which have not been properly explained or vetted."
If Barnette winds up as the nominee, you can bet you will be seeing that quote again -- in TV ads.
The Point: Republicans can't say Mitch McConnell didn't warn them. -- Chris TRIVIA TIME! In 2020, Joe Biden won the White House without winning Florida and Ohio. Who was the last president to win without carrying those two states? (Answer below!) QUOTE OF THE DAY "Never say never." -- Melania Trump responded in a Fox interview to the possibility of the White House becoming her home again. MONDAY ON THE SOCIALS 1. Is Roe already impacting the 2022 election? 2. A new New York congressional map... 3. And what the map means 4. Congress isn't going to do anything on guns 5. 🌈🌈🌈 CHRIS' GOOD READS The Washington Post published a huge election preview that is well worth your time. Politico dives into where big Democratic donors are dumping their money. (HINT: It's in super PACs.) And the New York Times pulls back the curtain on how those super PACS get their marching orders from candidates. Derek Thompson (writing in the Atlantic) sees the signs of a coming recession in 2022. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson ❤️ 's "Survivor," according to the Washington Post. An obituary for the iPod, via Gawker MUSICAL INTERLUDE I have loved Belle & Sebastian since "If You're Feeling Sinister..." Their new one is called "A Bit of Previous." -- Chris OUTSIDE SPENDERS INTERVENE IN PROGRESSIVE VS. DEMOCRATIC RACES As the primary season heats up, outside organizations are supporting moderate, establishment-friendly opponents of progressive Democrats in several House races. CNN’s Gregory Krieg reports that the spending from these organizations could affect close races in Tuesday’s primaries. “The outside groups are following a blueprint -- called 'The Ohio Model' by the progressive American Prospect -- primed during the 2021 Ohio special election that helped Shontel Brown, now the representative from the state's 11th Congressional District, overtake progressive Nina Turner, a former Bernie Sanders presidential campaign co-chair and vocal critic of the Democratic establishment.” A few establishment vs. progressive Democratic races to watch on May 17 include: NC-01, NC-04, OR-05 and PA-12. -- Shania Ballot Box Divider ONE BIG DECISION 6-3 In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, striking down a cap on the use of campaign funds to repay personal campaign loans. TRIVIA TIME ANSWER In 1960, John F. Kennedy beat Richard Nixon for the White House while losing both Florida and Ohio. You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Unsubscribe from this list Check out other CNN Newsletters Create your CNN Account Share the Point Newsletter Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris Cillizza. You can follow Chris on Twitter and connect with The Point on: Facebook Twitter Tumblr YouTube Our mailing address is: One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303 Copyright © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., All rights reserved.
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