Glenn Beck doesn’t think it would be “all that bad for the country” if Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) loses reelection to Alison Lundergan Grimes (D).
Less than two weeks before Election Day, the nationally syndicated talk radio host told his army of conservative listeners on Thursday that even though Grimes is “gonna be worse” for America, making her a senator could be worth the price of ousting an establishment Republican whom he suggested has added “poison” to Congress.
“It’s horrible for the country, but I’m not sure that it’s all that bad for the country,” Beck said. “I’m really not sure it’s all that bad to lose somebody like Mitch McConnell. … I don’t think it’s terrible.”
Beck’s beef with McConnell was on display during the Republican primary when he supported challenger Matt Bevin. But the general election is obviously a different beast. His argument that a McConnell defeat would be acceptable to conservatives is unhelpful to the GOP leader, who is unpopular in Kentucky and has faced questions of voter enthusiasm behind his reelection bid.
Though McConnell has a slight edge, the race is a statistical dead heat, according to the two most recent nonpartisan polls released this week. The election is on Nov. 4.
Below is the audio, followed by a transcript (with emphasis added), of Beck’s conversation with radio co-host Pat Gray.
GRAY: How amazing would [McConnell losing] be after they — after the establishment Republicans worked so hard to get rid of Matt Bevin, would have been a tremendous candidate.
BECK: It’s horrible for the country, but I’m not sure that it’s all that bad for the country. I’m really not sure it’s all that bad to lose somebody like Mitch McConnell.
GRAY: Yeah, I know. I don’t think it’s so bad.
BECK: I don’t think it’s terrible.
GRAY: She would be worse.
BECK: Probably, but… [crosstalk]
BECK: She’s gonna be worse. But I’m tired of playing – I don’t want the poison to come from our own people. I’d rather get rid of all of our own people. Let the poison come from them so we are clean hands and we can say, “We didn’t have anything to do with that. We didn’t have anything to do with that.”
