LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One week away from Election Day, the eyes of the country are watching one particular race in Kentucky.
Will the McConnell-McGrath contest lead to a power shift? Or will it be an overwhelming win from the country's longest serving Majority Leader?
Democratic Strategist and former Metro Council President David Tandy said he believes the extended voting will benefit his party's challenger.
"Once voting started, you started seeing a lot of people coming out to vote, particularly in the Democratic parts, and they're really starting to come out," Tandy said.
Through Monday's votes, nearly a quarter million had cast a vote at polling sites or had their absentee scanned back in Jefferson County alone.
Tandy sees that as good news for the McGrath camp coming off the only debate in this race -- one that saw McConnell describe the McGrath campaign in a sound byte echoing through the airwaves.
"I think Senator McConnell made a rare gaffe in that he gave the McGrath campaign the ad to run against them and she's used it effectively," Tandy said.
Republican strategist Tres Watson doesn't see the moment as a gaffe, and while he gave McGrath some credit, he said he thinks any late surge will not be able to launch her to victory over McConnell.
"This state is a Republican state...it has gone more and more red, and I just think in this election year, Donald Trump is going to win this state handily," Watson said. "It's just the numbers aren't there for her to be able to overcome any sort of a gaffe even if she were running a stellar campaign, which I don't think anyone would say that she has."
In fact, Republican analysts predict a relatively quick call on Election Day. Tandy is hoping his side is right, although he's seen the polls that would suggest a loss.
"If she loses by double digits? I would [be shocked], because the polling hasn't showed that. It really has shown it about an 8 or 9 point race."
Still, Kentucky is legendary for playing tricks on pollsters, just like in McConnell's last bid. WHAS11 will continue to update people on local returns as they come in Election Day on all platforms.
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