Hillary Clinton hits the US campaign trail early
Mrs Clinton refrained from any harsh attacks on Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate leader, but her presence in the Bluegrass State puts her in the middle of one the toughest fights of this years election. Democrats and Republicans have spent $100million (62million) on advertisements tearing each other down, making the Kentucky race the most expensive Senate election in American history.
Mrs Clinton, whose granddaughter Charlotte is nearly a month old, has said she will make up her mind on whether to run for president early next year.
However, a poor result for Democrats in Novembers midterm elections could lead to an earlier announcement as she tries to rally her party.
President Barack Obamas approval ratings have slumped to their lowest level since he took office and few Democrat candidates are eager to be seen alongside him. Association with Mr Obama is so toxic that Mrs Grimes has refused to say if she even voted for him in the 2012 elections. By contrast, the Democrat senate candidate happily described herself as a Clinton Democrat and embraced the former first lady onstage in Kentucky.
Mrs Grimess father is a long-time friend of the Clintons and the couple have known her since her teens.
Mrs Clintons campaign blitz is expected to take her to almost a dozen other major battlegrounds across the country. She is due to campaign in Senate races in both Iowa and New Hampshire, two early voting states that help to shape the presidential contest.
Mrs Clinton will also make appearances in southern states such as Georgia and North Carolina, where Mr Obama is deeply unpopular and his presence judged to do more harm than good.
Democrats hope that Mrs Clinton will help them retain control in the Senate after they lost control of the House of Representatives in 2010. Polls indicate Republicans are slightly ahead and look likely to win a slight majority.
Mrs Grimes remains behind her Republican opponent in Kentucky and Democrats are cutting their spending on television advertising there an indication that, despite Mrs Clintons blessing, they expect to lose.
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Hillary Clinton hits the US campaign trail early