The blue path is a mirage in a red desert and other lessons from Kentucky’s election.

It’s been said that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. That’s why after every election I like to take a moment to reflect and see what wisdom I can glean from the results. Here are my takeaways from the 2020 general election:

First, never underestimate the ability of Kentucky Democrats to learn the wrong lesson from a previous election.

In 2019, an unpopular Governor who’d worn out his welcome with independents and many Republicans lost by 5,000 votes to a milquetoast Democrat with a well-known last name. Despite my warnings that the results indicated nothing more than just how disliked Matt Bevin was, Democratic politico friends (and a few members of the media) insisted it showed there was a path for Democrats to win statewide despite the fact the next closest race was a 60,000 vote Republican victory.

I think we all know the reality. Their belief that the Northern Kentucky, Louisville, and Lexington suburbs were lurching left proved a mirage in a desert of red. Meanwhile, as they spent their campaign cash chasing that dragon, well-liked incumbents and interesting challengers in rural areas were left to flounder as Democrats were driven to near extinction out in the counties, leaving the unchallenged Angie Hatton as a rural Democratic caucus of one. I think we can all now agree that there was no greater lesson in Andy Beshear’s 2019 win; a thought I hope the Governor keeps in mind as he licks his electoral wounds while entering a sure-to-be difficult 2021 legislative session.

Second, Mitch McConnell will not be beaten. Ever.

For the second straight election, record sums of cash were funneled into Kentucky as out-of-state liberals tried to knock Leader McConnell off his perch as the most consequential Republican in Washington. And, for the second straight cycle, every dime of it was lit aflame in an orgy of losing.

Sure, Amy McGrath was a flawed candidate but that doesn’t explain a 22-point margin. McConnell is simply better at politics and campaigning. Voters value his seat at the head table, where he’s secured billions of federal dollars and injected them into Kentucky’s economy. They value his dedication to securing a generation’s worth of federal jurists who will decide cases on the law as written instead of writing law from the bench. And they especially value that, whether it’s Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the White House for the next four years, the nation is better off with our Senior Senator providing a steady hand in the room where it happens. It’s time national Democrats learn to stop worrying and just appreciate Mitch McConnell for the political savant he is.

Third, the 6th Congressional District is Andy Barr’s as long as he wants it. The 6th has historically been a swing district but Barr has changed that. In 2018, Democrats tried to knock off Barr with a well-funded liberal. In 2020, they tried with a blue dog. Neither worked. He picks smart battles that give him a footprint in both the suburban and rural parts of the district and his dedication to constituent services gives him a cushion in close races. I’m sure they’ll try again in 2022, but it will end the same way.

Lastly, we learned early voting is probably here to stay. While I’ve written before about my various objections to it, I’m man enough to admit when I’m fighting a losing battle.

Overall, Secretary of State Michael Adams and our 120 County Clerks deserve a pat on the back for a job well done. Voters were happy, campaigns were happy, and the results were delivered quickly and accurately under very unusual and difficult circumstances. You can’t ask for more than that.

Now, enjoy 2021 off because November 2022 will be here before you know it!

Tres Watson is the founder of Capitol Reins PR and co-host of the Kentucky Politics Weekly Podcast. He is also the former communications director for the Republican Party of Kentucky.