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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On Friday, former President Donald Trump threw his support behind Kentucky congressman Andy Barr in the race for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat, which will be open due to the retirement of Sen. Mitch McConnell, a former leader of the Senate GOP.
Trump declared his strong backing by posting on his Truth Social platform, stating, “Andy Barr has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next United States Senator from Kentucky.”
In the upcoming Republican primary on May 19, Barr will be competing against former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and business entrepreneur Nate Morris.
The candidates in this conservative state, where Trump secured 64% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election, were eager to receive his endorsement. Barr and Morris have prominently featured Trump in their advertisements, while Morris has also gained financial backing from conservative supporter Elon Musk.
Throughout the campaign, Republican hopefuls have largely avoided mentioning McConnell, highlighting the evolving landscape of the GOP under Trump’s influence.
Each has a connection to McConnell. Cameron is a former aide, Barr has referred to the senator as a mentor, and Morris worked as an intern in McConnell’s office. Trump once praised McConnell as an ally but more recently has been critical of the seven-term senator.
The Democratic field includes former state lawmaker Charles Booker and former Marine pilot Amy McGrath. Booker narrowly beat McGrath in the 2020 Democratic primary to face McConnell.
Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate race in Kentucky since 1992.
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