(CNN) - Jesse Benton, a top political adviser to both Rep. Ron Paul and his son, Sen. Rand Paul, will head Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's bid for re-election, Benton said Thursday.
Benton acted as Ron Paul's campaign manager during the Texas congressman's bid for the Republican nomination earlier this cycle. In 2010 Benton led Rand Paul's tea party-backed bid for Senate in Kentucky.
McConnell, who is serving his fifth term representing Kentucky in the U.S. Senate, is up for re-election in 2014.
Though McConnell backed Rand Paul's GOP primary opponent in 2010, the two Kentucky lawmakers have since developed a professional relationship.
CNN's Peter Hamby contributed to this report.
From CNN Politics
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While this man represents all that is wrong within the Republican party there is no doubt in my mind that GOPers will give McConnell yet another term. Sometimes I think they only vote for a candidate simply to get a rise out of Democrats. Their "Country First" meme has been the biggest sham ever played on the American public to date.
Atttention Democrat and moderate super-Pacs, now is the time to ramp up your support of whoever is opposing this incompetent. This person is a menace to democracy.
Won't help mush-mouth McConnell. You are next.
One of the worst gop goofs in,the senate ,this guy is mainly responsible for you not having a a job ,because of his plan to make Obama a one term president along with lyin Ryan the bribe taker in his home state ,the gop is doomed !!!!!
McConnell needs to be booted. He is not interested in working for his district anymore. that is evident in his grandstanding against items that do not help Americans, but instead are meant to interfere with anything Obama wants to do. Put people first, not McConnell.
Please people of Kentucky do not reelect this old decrepit do nothing fool who looks like a product of incest.
Well, well, now you need the tea party fringes to help you keep your seat. It won't help. You are the old fool who started this mess and now you will lose. We all rememeber your talking points from day one after the election. Too late now. You, Cantor, Boehner and Ryan made a big mistake to keep lying and showing your racist ways. You and your buddies have obstructed Congress for 31/2 years and you will go down. Hope your retirement fund is as big as Romneyhood's.
This is one man who truly was committed to having President Obama defeated from day one of his Inauguration and has said "no" to everything proposed by the President. Nothing has been accomplished for the good of America by the Senate Minority Leader. It is time for him to retire. I am sure he will have a good retirement pension and health care benefits on behalf of those of us who are struggling. Lets replace him with someone who can work with President Obama in 2014 and beyond.
Sen. McConnell has got to be one of the worst Majority Leaders in history. Instead of saying his first priorty was to get the country's economy stable and to create jobs for American citizens, he said his first priority was to make President Obama a one term president. To do that he and his colleagues in the Congress have fillibustred and obstructed voting on bills more than any other congress ever, even ones that they previously introduced or supported. They have stalled on jobs bills, infractructure bills, the farm bill and many others that would have helped middle class Americans. This ineffective performance should earn him the boot this November. He has not worked with his constituents best interests in mind and they should take him to task for that. That also goes for Boehner, Cantor, Ryan and all of the Tea Party obstructionists who caused the debt ceiling crisis and the downgrading of the credit rating. It is time for all of them to be held accountable.
I would love to see McConnell lose.
God forbid that Mitt Romney would take Sarah Palin word salad advice and try and make it a winning National Defense argument. Congress had better start thinking of reenacting the draft. America is going to need all the soldiers it can get should Romney ever become president.
At this point, I'm fed up with ALL Republicans. The GOP has become a national disgrace to America. Romney is all yours, GOP. Have fun living in Limbaugh's GlennBeckistan - where rants are free, and reality a thing of the past.
Kentucky really needs to ried itself of this Ole'McConnell, he needs to go back to his farm.
Folks, enough of these old thugs in congress/senate. Please drive this nasty vicious Animal out in next Election, please nation's evil goes away.
America remember what Mitch McConnell said when President Obama was elected,let me remind you, Connell said we GOP's will do nothing to help President Obama we will let him fail, I hope and pray that Connell is not elected again lets get these hatefull Morons out of the senate, I also hope that the people in Kentucky vote him out of office he fail America , not Our President, " God bless our President Obama a real Leader".
wow mitch MCconnell you washed up
This jerk needs to be voted out!!!
Both McConnell and Paul should be good Americans and Retire. Their jobs woukld be better handled by folks who believe in America and wish to contribute to it's sucess.
Get this treasonist obstructionist jackleg outta there
As someone in Kentucky, I encourage everyone in the state to not re-elect McConnell. He has been in Washington too long and does nothing but work overtime to ensure that nothing gets done while Obama is in office. This isn't what's best for Kentucky or the country. He needs to go.
It's a blatant shame that the Paul camp has defectors.. i guess it's all about the highest bidder. Either way, McClueless needs to FAIL in his re-election bid. This man – and his cohort Boehner – need to both go away, so the nation can mover forward. The Grand Obstructionist Party needs a name and leadership change.
Is this McConnell's attempt to get Ron Paul supporters to go with on re-election? I don't think that this is enough because people don't vote for someone because of their staff.
Please Kentucky, for the love of God, do NOT re-elect this putz of a man Mitch McConnell to congress again. Prove to the rest of the country that you are an electorate guided by intellect. Otherwise, you all are just another Mississippi.
I can only hope the people of Kentucky can see how this man has single-handedly hindered the entire country with his attitude, statements and actions and set the precedent for additional misinformation and unfounded animosity.
He could have said anything, anything else besides what he did.
Mitch, what's your biggest objective?
Keeping businesses in America
Putting the middle class back to work
Reforming the tax code
Ensuring the administrations changes aren't too radical
Keeping spending in check
Infrastructure
Ending the wars
Veteran benefits/incentives
Strengthening international relations
Adjusting SS/Medicare
Like I said. Anything besides what he DID say.
Betcha Mitch also wants some of that Koch money. People will remember you McConnell as an obstructionist. Time to go Mitch, time to go.
Does anyone know hoow safe this state is for McConnell? Sounds like MConnell thinks he may be in for a fight. Amen.