Jim Bunning: “this is a day for all Kentuckians and Americans to celebrate the man I proudly call my best friend in the Senate. Today…”

“this is a day for all Kentuckians and Americans to celebrate the man I proudly call my best friend in the Senate. Today we mark an historic occasion for the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Senate, as my colleague, my friend, and my party's leader, Mitch McConnell, becomes the longest serving Senator in Kentucky history. Back in 1984, when Mitch first won election to this Chamber by just over 5,000 out of over 1.2 million votes cast, some may have doubted that the Jefferson County judge executive and newly-elected Senator would go on to become the leader and statesman he is today. But some of us had little doubt. It was easy to tell Mitch was special from the beginning. In 1984, he was the only Republican challenger in the country to defeat a Democratic incumbent in a Senate race. In Kentucky he was also the first Republican to win a statewide race since 1968. Mitch went on to prove that his initial victory was not just luck. Some of my friends may not know what a prominent role Mitch has played in Kentucky's political history.”