Former fighter pilot Amy McGrath wins battle to face Mitch McConnell for Kentucky Senate seat in November

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will face retired US fighter pilot Amy McGrath in Kentucky's US Senate race this fall, after Ms McGrath beat back a late primary surge by progressive state representative Charles Booker.

The Associated Press declared Ms McGrath, who has raised more than $40m so far this cycle, the victor of the Democratic primary on Tuesday, a full week after Election Day in the Bluegrass State, as several precincts continued to count absentee and mail-in votes.

Ms McGrath has nearly $20m in cash on hand to spend on her general election race against Mr McConnnell, the Kentucky GOP political machine who has been instrumental in reshaping the federal judiciary in his conservative image during the Trump administration and was a thorn in the side of former Democratic President Barack Obama.

While Ms McGrath was the chosen Democratic candidate of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and has proven to be a prolific fundraiser, capitalising on nationwide liberal disdain for Mr McConnell, she is considered a long shot to defeat the majority leader.

Inside Elections with Nathan L Gonzales rates the race Solid Republican. The Cook Political Report rates it Likely Republcian.

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