Alison Lundergan Grimes and Mitch McConnell will compete for coal country votes this week, and both are bringing in reinforcements.
Grimes will campaign in Hazard Wednesday with former President Bill Clinton who carried Kentucky twice in presidential elections. McConnell will campaign Thursday and Friday with Hal Rogers, the Republican congressman who has represented eastern Kentucky for more than three decades.
Eastern Kentucky has traditionally been a stronghold for state Democrats. But Republicans believe they have a chance to eliminate that advantage given the unpopularity of Democratic President Barack Obama.
Grimes has tried to distance herself from Obama's energy policies. Last week she was endorsed by the United Mine Workers of America. But the McConnell campaign says Grimes would support Obama's agenda in the Senate.