Election 2020: Mitch McConnell Signals Tough Battle For The Senate, Calls It 'A 50-50 Proposition'

KEY POINTS

McConnell believes he will face a tough battle for the Senate majority
The GOP politician is set to face Democratic challenger Amy McGrath for the majority leader seat
Polls show McConnell leading McGrath by 9 points

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday signaled a tough battle for the Senate majority less than a week before the Nov. 3 elections.

"It's a 50-50 proposition. We have a lot of exposure. This is a huge Republican class. ... There's dogfights all over the country," McConnell said.

The majority leader appeared in an interview with Wave 3 News, where he was also seen sporting a bruised hand. When asked whether he was suffering from any illness, McConnell said he's in good shape.

"Look, I'm in good shape, as you indicated. I keep a heavy schedule. All year, gone from impeachment from the CARES Act to the Supreme Court. I've been there every day working long sessions. Trust me. I'm in good shape," McConnell said.

He recently hosted a campaign rally in Smithfield, Kentucky, where he touted the confirmation of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee to a crowd of socially distanced attendees. McConnell also revealed he's uncertain whether he could be reelected as the Senate majority leader for the seventh time.

McConnell's warning echoes remarks he made in August during an interview with Fox News.

"What I'd tell you is this is a tough fight. It could go either way. We're optimistic we can hold on," he had said.

Democrats have been trying to replace McConnell since 2014. However, his projects in Kentucky, including a medical center for veterans in Louisville, have helped him build a solid base of support, Vox reported.

Amy McGrath, a 51-year-old former fighter pilot, is the latest Democrat to challenge McConnell for the seat. The latest Mason-Dixon poll shows McConnell with a 9-point lead over McGrath, and a Quinnipiac survey conducted Sept. 10-14 showed the Senate majority leader with a 12-point edge.

However, a FiveThirtyEight Deluxe model predicts that the Democrats may win control of the Senate. The projection, based on 40,000 simulations, suggests they have a 75% chance of winning.

The report, which also predicts the average number of seats each party could control, indicates the Democrats could win 52 seats while the GOP takes 48.