
Get to know this gutsy woman!
By Bernadette Giacomazzo — Written on Jul 10, 2019
Photo: Getty Images

It seemed as though Mitch McConnell would be sitting in his Senate seat forever — until she showed up to challenge him. But unlike some other political contenders, she comes with legitimate firepower, and she just might have enough to finally oust the Senate Majority Leader. Who is Amy McGrath?
Here's what we know about Amy McGrath.
1. She's raised more than $2.5 million for her campaign...in just one day.
According to Newsweek, even though the average person donated about $36 each, Amy McGrath's campaign raised more than $2.5 million in just one day. And this amount actually broke records as being the most money raised in the first day of a Senate bid.
"McGrath's campaign [said] on Wednesday that more than $2.5 million was raised in the first 24 hours of her congressional bid with the average donation to the campaign being $36.15. According to Mark Nickolas, McGrath's campaign manager, it was the most money ever raised in the first day of a Senate bid," they wrote.
It’s been 6 hours since I announced that I’m running for Senate, and Mitch McConnell is already lying about me and my record. This isn’t new—this is how McConnell operates after 34 years running the swamp. Let’s fight back https://t.co/FEi598Zhtu
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) July 9, 2019
Amy McGrath has every intention to unseat Mitch McConnell.
2. Amy McGrath was the first female pilot to fly the F/A 18 on a combat mission.
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Amy McGrath was named to the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame after she became the first female military pilot to fly the F/A 18 plane on a combat mission.
"By 2005, now-Captain McGrath had become a pilot and was on a second tour of duty over Afghanistan. She became the first woman to fly the F/A-18 in combat for the U.S. Marine Corps. Lt. Col. McGrath went on to a posting at the Pentagon, earned a graduate degree in international security, and is currently a member of the faculty at Annapolis," they reported.
Ex-combat pilot Amy McGrath challenges Republican McConnell for Senate https://t.co/jDosst9uXE pic.twitter.com/qLpBYkxGm2
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) July 9, 2019
Amy McGrath is someone who really brings the firepower!
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3. Donald Trump doesn't exactly like her.
In what should come as a surprise to no one, shortly after Amy McGrath announced her intent to challenge Mitch McConnell for his Senate seat, Donald Trump took to his Twitter account to huff about how she was a "freshman senator" with "little power." He also cried that McGrath "compared his election to September 11th," and encouraged his followers to vote for Mitch McConnell to "keep America great."
Democrats are coming after our great Kentucky Senator, Mitch McConnell, with someone who compared my election to September 11th....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2019
....Why would Kentucky ever think of giving up the most powerful position in Congress, the Senate Majority Leader, for a freshman Senator with little power in what will hopefully be the minority party. We need Mitch in the Senate to Keep America Great!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2019
Former fighter pilot Amy McGrath announces bid to take on Mitch McConnell in 2020 https://t.co/JBPpZ2Dtgq pic.twitter.com/4iS7LzQmAI
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 10, 2019
Donald Trump doesn't like Amy McGrath.
4. But Mitch McConnell is reportedly "worried" about Amy McGrath ... because he knows she can win.
According to Mediaite, former Senator Claire McCaskill said that even though Mitch McConnell claims he's unbothered about Amy McGrath, the reality is, he and his team are very worried about her announcement, because they know she has a strong chance of winning.
"McCaskill responded by frankly stating, “Yeah, I got to tell you, they are really worried. They may act like they’re not.” She then added that “because there’s a real outsider, insider, dynamic here, and that’s a powerful dynamic in today’s Politics. I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican if you’re of Washington, you got to be worried if a marine fighter pilot is coming after you because that just signals outsider. This is not someone who’s of Washington," they reported.
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We will certainly keep you apprised of Amy McGrath's bid for Mitch McConnell's Senate seat!
Former Marine Amy McGrath launches Democratic challenge to McConnell https://t.co/dVEOGtHCDh pic.twitter.com/5ujmXenoaD
— The Hill (@thehill) July 9, 2019
Mitch McConnell is reportedly very worried about Amy McGrath.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.