The founder and host of Kentucky Sports Radio says he will form an exploratory committee as he decides on running for one of Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seats.
Matt Jones told media outlets that he won’t decide until November about challenging fellow Democrat Any McGrath for the right to likely challenge U.S. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November 2020’s General Election.
The announcement comes only a few weeks after Jones said he would co-author a book critical of McConnell, tentatively titled, “Mitch, Please!”
“If you run against Mitch McConnell and you win you are making history,” Jones said. “If you do that by also running against the Democratic establishment and you win you can be a senator that actually works for Kentuckians and you aren’t beholden to anybody.”
Jones refers to himself as a populist progressive, and he said he has views that are conservative, moderate and liberal. He has called the Democratic Party in Kentucky “a disaster.”
McConnell campaign manager Kevin Golden dismissed Jones’ potential candidacy.
“Let us know when he’s explored his way out of the primary,” Golden said.
Rt. Lt. Col. Amy McGrath has already announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination. Former state lawmaker Wesley Morgan has also announced he will challenge McConnell in the Republican primary.
The 41-year-old Jones, a Middlesboro native, graduated from Transylvania University in Lexington before matriculating to Duke University Law School. He founded Kentucky Sports Radio broadcasting from his basement in the mid-2000s and grew the University of Kentucky athletics-centric business into a small empire. Jones’ show, which can be heard on 103.9 The Moose weekday mornings from 10:00 until noon, is syndicated in 35 markets around Kentucky.
McConnell has served in the senate since January 1985.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
