LEXINGTON, Kentucky — When most people think of Addison Mitch McConnell and his impact on politics, they think of the U.S. Capitol and the halls of power along the Potomac River.

Often cast as the consummate D.C. insider, McConnell is an equally consummate Kentuckian who regularly tailgates before Louisville football games and hangs out with longtime friends at Cunningham’s Creekside, located along a tributary of the Ohio River. He is also an avid baseball fan, even if his major league team is the Washington Nationals.