Sen. Mitch McConnell's campaign manager has acknowledged the validity of a January recording on which he's heard saying he is "holding my nose" to work for the Kentuckian's re-election campaign.
McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton is a tea party insider who managed Sen. Rand Paul's Kentucky campaign in 2010.
The Economic Policy Journal posted the recording of Benton's comments on it's website. Benton was talking to Dennis Fusaro, who worked for the 2008 presidential campaign of then-Texas congressman Ron Paul, father of Rand Paul.
In a statement, Benton said he considers it sick that Fusaro is trying to use a private phone conversation to hurt him. Benton said he believes in McConnell and is 100 percent committed to his re-election.
That hasn’t stopped McConnell's primary challenger Matt Bevin from pouncing on the comments. Bevin spokeswoman Sarah Durand said Benton’s comments reflect the fact that McConnell is not a true conservative, and doesn’t deserve to be re-elected.
