Mitch McConnell used to be lonely Republican at Fancy Farm. Persistence paid off | Opinion

There are only two dates in Kentucky politics outside of Election Day that matter: the first Saturday in May, and the first Saturday in August.

The former, obviously the Kentucky Derby. The latter is even more important politically speaking – Fancy Farm.

One man who has known this since his arrival on the Commonwealth stage is Senator Mitch McConnell.

As he will remind people, when he first arrived at Fancy Farm in 1984, and for many years afterwards, McConnell was one of only a couple Republicans to show up at St. Jerome’s Annual Picnic in far-west Fancy Farm.

Now, more than 40 years later, not only is the shoe on the other foot, but the man who stood practically alone representing a party that didn’t have enough voters to fill a phone booth could join the masses once again with a stage devoid of any legitimate Democrat in attendance.

While the Kentucky Democratic Party has their “rural listening tour”, the most important rural political event will lack Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, his Lieutenant, and their future failed Senate nominee.

Beshear’s excuse of a “scheduling conflict” is an insult to the intelligence of Kentucky voters. Again —there are only two dates on the calendar every Kentucky politico knows to hold to avoid a scheduling conflict. And, while some Republicans may not attend for various reasons, having zero statewide attendance from a party that once dominated the region is inexcusable.

Especially when you remember that Beshear incessantly reminds Kentuckians that he has rural roots in WKY and will make sure “Western Kentucky has a seat at the table in Frankfort.” Turns out he went to Frankfort and left a seat empty in the fields of Graves County.

The only person who will represent the Democrats will be a no-name Congressional candidate who will be trounced by Congressman James Comer next November. Honestly, must give credit to the guy who will endure this carnage twice while his party and leadership abandons him.

Meanwhile, 41 years into his job as one of Kentucky’s senators, McConnell could be showing up for what would be his 30^th Fancy Farm on stage with so many Republicans that we no longer talk about winning general elections, but winning primaries.

McConnell’s longtime attendance isn’t just a statistic though. It’s a sign of his love for the game. Back in 2023, McConnell’s team remarked, “It wouldn’t be Fancy Farm if Democrats weren’t heckling every Republican and vice versa – it’s been a very spirited event for decades.”

If you want to know how McConnell developed such a thick skin that he weathered every storm he faced and became the longest serving Senate leader in American history, look to that small town of just over 400 Kentuckians and their Catholic picnic.

Over the years, McConnell has faced challengers like Walter “Dee” Huddleston who declared he didn’t “have any fear at all” during that fateful 1984 election at Fancy Farm. Thirty years later, former Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes led a marching band parade into the arena and then proceeded to lose to McConnell by 16 points.

Kentucky politicos remember that 2014 Fancy Farm for a lot of reasons, from the intensity of the crowd and international media attention to Senator Rand Paul’s poetic prowess. But one joke from former Governor Steve Beshear and McConnell’s response a year later sticks out.

During that Fancy Farm, Beshear whipped out his phone for a selfie with McConnell to declare, “I just had to get one last photo of the Senator before Kentucky voters retire him in November!”

The following year, McConnell replied with a printed picture of that selfie on which he wrote, “Steve, enjoy your retirement, I’ll still be working.”

Democrats indeed appear to be enjoying retirement by not attending Fancy Farm. Regardless of whether McConnell can make this his 30^th Fancy Farm, he’s still working. And because of his perseverance as the lonely Republican on that stage over 40 years ago, so still is the Republican Party of Kentucky.

Jake Cox is the former campaign manager for Senator Rand Paul’s 2022 re-election campaign, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles’ 2023 gubernatorial primary election campaign, and Treasurer Allison Ball’s 2023 campaign for State Auditor. He now runs a Super PAC focused on electing commonsense conservative leaders to the State House and consults candidates and political organizations across the country.