Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said last night that he's worried a $17.7 billion merger announced yesterday between Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines could harm his home state.

McConnell is concerned about the impact the merger would have on Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), which he called "a key economic engine" in Kentucky.

"Earlier this year, I contacted Delta's CEO to remind him of the importance of CVG to Kentucky's economy and to the thousands of workers at the hub," McConnell said in a statement issued last night. "While I have been assured that CVG will continue to be an important component of these merged operations, I will carefully assess the proposed merger, and will not support it unless I am convinced that CVG and its workers will be protected."

Ohio's two senators share McConnell's fears. The three men reportedly wrote to Delta CEO Richard Anderson in January, saying they are worried the merger would cost jobs and scale back the number of available flights.

— Carrie Sheffield, Web editor, The Washington Times