FOXNews.com: Alison Lundergan Grimes will challenge Mitch McConnell

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Alison Lundergan Grimes will challenge Mitch McConnell Jul 1st 2013, 19:58 FRANKFORT, Ky. –  Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes said Monday she will take on Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, ending the search by Democrats to find a competitive challenger ahead of next year's election. Grimes, who had been touted as the Democrats' best hope of unseating McConnell, began seriously considering the race after actress Ashley Judd opted out in March. Former Democratic Party Chairman Bill Garmer and Kentucky environmental attorney Tom FitzGerald have said they also are considering the race. And three longshot Democrats have declared their intentions to run. Defeating McConnell would be the Democrats' biggest prize of the 2014 election. His seat is one of 14 that Republicans are defending, while Democrats try to hold onto 21. Grimes met privately with supporters Monday afternoon before announcing her decision at a press conference. The announcement came just days after the conservative group Kentuckians for Strong Leadership began running a TV spot attacking Grimes as a cheerleader for President Barack Obama. The ad began airing in the Louisville, Lexington and Paducah markets last week and was scheduled to continue through July 11. The attack is part of a well-used strategy by Kentucky Republicans to try to link the state's Democrats to Obama, who is widely unpopular in Kentucky, a state he lost in both his runs for president. Defeating McConnell would be the Democrats' biggest prize of the 2014 election. His seat is one of 14 that Republicans are defending, while Democrats try to hold onto 21. McConnell, who has served in the U.S. Senate since 1984, has never lost an election. He spent more than $20 million in 2008 to beat Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford, a wealthy Louisville businessman, by 6 percentage points. Grimes will begin the race at a distinct fundraising disadvantage. McConnell has already raised some $13 million for his re-election campaign.

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