In the race to fill the seat of retiring Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, Rep. Andy Barr from Kentucky has emerged as a formidable contender, collecting nearly $1.4 million in campaign contributions last quarter. His financial prowess has resulted in a substantial $6.42 million campaign fund, positioning him strongly in the 2026 Kentucky election landscape, as detailed in recent fundraising figures shared with The Post.

Barr, who has served seven terms in the House, presents a significant challenge to his primary rivals. Among them are Daniel Cameron, the former Attorney General of Kentucky, and Nate Morris, a businessman known for his garbage removal ventures. Both are vying for McConnell’s soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat.

As of the latest reports dated September 30, Morris’s campaign funds stood at $1,070,461, while Cameron’s were even lower, at $629,748. Barr’s campaign chest is notably larger, with his donations outpacing those of his opponents by approximately six times for Morris and ten times for Cameron.

In the fundraising race among Republican Senate candidates, Barr leads with over $6.6 million available. However, Nate Morris made a significant impact last quarter by securing over $4 million in contributions, which included a hefty personal loan of around $3 million to his campaign.

Much of that came from an around $3 million personal loan the businessman gave to his campaign.

McConnell, 83, stepped down as Senate majority leader after the November 2024 elections and announced he would not seek re-election the following February.

The longest-serving leader of any party in the upper chamber had suffered painful falls — one of which left him concussed and with a minor rib fracture — and freeze-ups in recent years.

President Trump’s return to the White House also laid bare again divisions between the two that peaked after the 2020 election, which the 45th commander-in-chief claimed had been stolen from him and McConnell denied.

Morris, in an opening video ad for his campaign, laid into the Republican senator for having “trashed Trump” and claimed Cameron and Barr were waiting in the wings for the Senate seat as McConnell’s “puppets.”

Barr has been pushing back at the characterization by racking up endorsements from staunch Trump allies — including former White House physician and Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).

His campaign has also been touting that he is the best candidate to defeat Senate Democratic frontrunner Charles Booker.

According to a recent Public Policy Polling survey, Barr would defeat Booker by 11 percentage points, 49% to 38%, if the 2026 election were held today.

Cameron would have a seven-percentage-point advantage, 49% to 38%, and Morris would have a one-percentage-point advantage, 41% to 40%.

“Andy Barr is the strongest candidate in this race. He is dominating with grassroots support, building resources, earning major endorsements, and is the only campaign growing in the polls,” said Blake Gober, Campaign Manager for Barr for Senate in a statement.

“He is the only candidate who can take this seat off the map and is the best candidate to continue helping President Trump Make America Great Again.”

Trump has yet to make an endorsement for the Senate race in a state he won by more than 30 percentage points last November.