Alison Grimes on Principles & Values

One of us represents Washington; one of us represents KY

The minority leader used his speech to nationalize the race and paint Grimes as a tool of national Democrats. McConnell said, "There's only one way to change America in 2014. That's to change the Senate and make me the leader of a new majority--to take America in a different direction." McConnell repeatedly compared Grimes to President Obama.

AdWatch: Grimes' opponent offered deal to drop out

In his letter, Marksberry said an unnamed person close to Jerry Lundergan, the candidate's father and a former Kentucky Democratic Party chairman, approached him about dropping out of the race. "They said that Jerry really liked me, and that Jerry takes care of his friends," Marksberry wrote. "And if Alison wins, there could be a favor owed to me." Marksberry wrote of his desire to see Grimes beat Mitch McConnell, so he proposed a deal, which fell through

Fight "Senator Gridlock": Kentucky pays for GOP dysfunction

McConnell said that his high-profile part in the deal that ended the shutdown and extended the debt ceiling had taken the air out of Grimes' message. "It steps on the whole narrative of her campaign," McConnell said.

The Grimes campaign fired back with a release that McConnell was still "Senator Gridlock," noting a number of past remarks McConnell has made proudly proclaiming himself a "guardian of gridlock." A Grimes spokesperson said, "It is an embarrassment that McConnell waited until the 11th hour to stop the manufactured crisis that he and members of Congress created. It is not heroic for McConnell to do his job and reopen the government. Kentuckians now have to pay for McConnell's Washington dysfunction."