Not long after President Barack Obama finished his Syria speech Tuesday evening, people on Mitch McConnell’s campaign mailing list received a fundraising pitch touting the Kentucky Republican’s decision earlier in the day to oppose a military strike in the war-torn country.

The email featured a letter to supporters from McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton, who included the full text of McConnell’s floor speech on Tuesday morning. During the speech, McConnell announced his opposition to a resolution authorizing military intervention.

“Mitch made it very clear to me from the beginning that he does not politicize issues of national security. He believes that America’s strength in the world should not be subject to the political theatre that so often takes hold of Washington these days,” Benton wrote.

Before joining “Team Mitch,” Benton was a longtime political aide to the libertarian-leaning Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and his father, former GOP Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. Rand Paul delivered his own critical response to Obama’s national address on Tuesday evening, saying any effort to intervene in Syria would help rebels aligned with the terrorist group al-Qaida.

Benton’s letter appears below:

Friend,

Mitch made it very clear to me from the beginning that he does not politicize issues of national security. He believes that America’s strength in the world should not be subject to the political theatre that so often takes hold of Washington these days.

True to his word, today he showed the kind of leadership and statesmanship that is so often lacking in politics by listening to experts, constituents, and advocates on both sides of the issue, and in the end did what was right. He gave an in-depth and comprehensive rationale for why he simply could not support President Obama’s authorization for use of force in Syria.

Mitch’s speech was one of the most well reasoned and thorough arguments that I have ever heard on the Senate floor. It’s clear that he has dedicated himself to understanding the Syrian situation inside and out, and that he is fighting for Kentucky on the national, and international, stage.

Mitch truly is Kentucky’s champion, and he stands head and shoulders above his opponents with his statesmanship and breadth of knowledge.

Today was a ringing example of why we need to keep Mitch fighting for us in the United States Senate. Anything that you can contribute will go a long way towards our goal.

In Liberty,

Jesse Benton

Campaign Manager