McConnell on paid volunteers: ‘I’m not sure I know what to say about that’

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) declined comment on the news that he’s offering all-expenses-paid trips for volunteers to provide “enthusiasm” during stops on his bus tour.

{mosads}”I’m not sure I know what to say about that,” he told CBS affiliate WVNS, directing the reporter to campaign adviser Josh Holmes.

The Hill reported this week that a Kentucky Republican Party operative emailed supporters in early October offering all-expenses-paid trips to join the senator’s tour and “contribute to an enthusiastic atmosphere” at events.

Holmes previously told The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Ky., that the volunteers were working during the tour and it was “standard practice” to pay expenses for such volunteers.

“It’s not an inordinate number of people,” Holmes said. “And when you bring people along to give them stuff to do, the least you can do is pick up [the cost of] their hotel room.”

McConnell drew “enthusiastic receptions” by crowds of about 100 at stops in Ashland and Grayson, Ky. on Wednesday, according to the newspaper, but some audience members wearing McConnell campaign shirts appeared at both rallies.

Another report revealed some attendees at a Wednesday stop in Summit, Ky., had also appeared at a Tuesday rally, and others were employees of the company hosting the event, one of which was an Ohioan, who said he can’t vote in Kentucky.

Democrats say the fact McConnell is offering to pay for supporters to join him on the trail suggests a lack of momentum behind his reelection bid. 

He’s opened up a slim but consistent lead in polling over the past month, but on Wednesday, national Democrats dove back into the state with a $650,000 advertising buy after they said they saw favorable polling this week.

McConnell’s campaign released an internal poll in response showing him up by 8 points. And the senator said he was confident of his support in the race.

“We’ve got a lot of enthusiastic supporters, you see them — we’re seeing them at every stop, and I’m happy to have them,” he said.