Fancy Farm Picnic includes fun, games, attacks; UMW endorses Democrat in Ky. Senate race

The annual fund-raising picnic at St. Jerome Catholic Church in Fancy Farm, Ky., population 500, is generally known as the Fancy Farm Picnic -- and sometimes incorrectly called a "political picnic" because most of the media attention goes to its political speaking, a command performance by statewide politicians of both parties before a divided crowd of partisans who cheer, boo and chant. Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, left, kicked off the speaking with a selfie that included his old rival, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (in yellow shirt), explaining, "I just had to get one last photo of the senator before Kentucky voters retire him in November."

Saturday's picnic drew a record crowd because of the hot race between McConnell and Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes. There was loads of news coverage, to which you can link here, and here is a story by University of Kentucky students covering the race. Meanwhile, Grimes announced that the United Mine Workers endorsed her despite McConnell's efforts to tie her to the anti-coal policies of President Obama and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, whom McConnell wants to replace as majority leader if Republicans take control of the Senate. The union pointedly did not endorse Obama for re-election in 2012.