Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s team has set the tone for his reelection bid against Democratic challenger Amy McGrath, releasing a merciless attack ad Tuesday highlighting her history of loony public statements as well as her record of left-wing liberalism.

It seems the Kentucky Republican would like to end this race as soon as possible, or at least to define his opponent before her campaign even begins. Then again, when your opponent’s campaign is such a target rich environment of opposition research gold, where finding damning material is the equivalent of looking for a needle in a haystack of needles, why not go for the throat?