Citing her "constitutional right," Kentucky's Democratic Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes again refused to say for whom she voted in the 2012 presidential election, during a debate with Republican incumbent and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday.
Grimes has been asked to reveal her vote on several occasions, and has
refused to answer the question each time.
On Monday, Grimes was asked about the issue that has plagued her campaign in recent days.
"This is a matter of principle. Our constitution grants, here in Kentucky, the constitutional right for privacy of the ballot box, for a secret ballot," Grimes said during the televised debate.
"I am not going to compromise a constitutional right provided here in Kentucky in order to curry favor on one or the other side, or for members of the media. I'll protect that right for every Kentuckian."
When asked directly to reveal her vote, Grimes dodged the question.
"Again, you have that right, Sen. McConnell has that right, every Kentuckian has the right for privacy at the ballot box," she said. "If I as chief election official, Bill, don't stand up for that right, who in Kentucky will?"
Grimes has served as Kentucky's secretary of state since 2012 and is trying to unseat McConnell, who has served in the Senate since 1985. He became the Senate minority leader in 2007.
The pair are locked in a tight race, with one
poll last week showing McConnell trailing by 2 percentage points.
The race is one of several that is being closely watched on both sides of the aisle as Republicans try to take control of the Senate. The GOP needs to gain six seats to earn the majority.
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