Republican Businessman to Announce Primary Challenge to Mitch McConnell Next Week

Republican Businessman to Announce Primary Challenge to Mitch McConnell Next Week

By John McCormackon Fri, 19 Jul 2013

Louisville businessman Matt Bevin will launch a primary campaign against Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell next week, a GOP source with knowledge of Bevin's intentions tells THE WEEKLY STANDARD.

Bevin's name had surfaced as a potential primary challenger earlier this year, but public discussion of a primary campaign against McConell had died down until late Friday afternoon when Politico reported that Bevin had reserved airtime for television ads next week.

Bevin, a wealthy businessman who is capable of self-financing, will seek to run as an outsider Tea Party candidate. But the McConnell campaign plans on wasting no time spending some of its nearly $10 million war chest to make the case against Bevin.

"Bevin should expect a pretty bruising welcome to major league politics," a McConnell ally tells THE WEEKLY STANDARD.