Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger – a retired fighter pilot and retired Air Force flight captain who gained fame with the “Miracle at the Hudson” aircraft – supported Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell’s opponent in her efforts to throw the Republican incumbent out of the race, as recent polls show.
Sullenberger supported Amy McGrath, who is running for the U.S. Senate as Kentucky’s Democratic candidate. McGrath is a former navy fighter pilot.
Sullenberger is best known for flying U.S. Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, when he met a flock of Canadian geese shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The aircraft lost power in both engines and Sullenberger decided to steer the aircraft to a crash landing on the Hudson River. All 155 people on board survived and were taken to safety by nearby boats.
“Years of experience and dedication allowed me to step up at this crucial moment, and today I ask you to do the same at this most important moment in our nation’s history,” Sullenberger said. “As a former Republican and veteran, I proudly support Lieutenant Colonel Amy McGrath.
McGrath sent the nearly two-minute video to her Twitter account on Saturday morning and thanked Sullenberger for his support.
“Everything is at stake,” McGrath wrote. “We will write this ship.”
Thank you, Captain Sully Sullenberger for your support.
It’s all on the line. We’re gonna fix this ship. pic.twitter.com/6QlsksTH0G
– Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) October 31, 2020
The latest survey, conducted by the Bluegrass Community and Technical College, found that McGrath is 10 percentage points behind the established McConnell.
This is breaking news and will be updated with additional information.
