Daily Caller News Foundation

Republican Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr announced Tuesday that he is stepping into the race to succeed retiring Republican Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell in 2026.

In an X post announcing his candidacy for Kentucky’s open Senate seat, Barr vowed to “deport the illegals, end this DEI nonsense, and lock up the sickos who allow men into girls locker rooms.” The Kentucky Republican’s entrance into the race comes after McConnell announced in February that he would not seek reelection.

“I’m running for Senate to help our president save this great country,” Barr said in his candidacy announcement video.

Barr’s campaign website emphasizes issues such as border security, extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts and keeping biological men out of women’s sports.

“Working with President Trump, I’ll fight to create jobs for hardworking Kentuckians, instead of warm and fuzzies for hard-core liberals,” Barr said in the announcement video.

The battle for Kentucky’s open Senate seat is expected to be one of the most closely-watched and expensive races in the 2026 midterms.

Former Republican Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who previously described McConnell as a “mentor,” is also running for McConnell’s open Senate seat. On the Democratic side, Democratic Kentucky State Rep. Pamela Stevenson is also hoping to succeed McConnell.

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Additionally, Kentucky businessman Nate Morris is also considering a run for the open Kentucky Senate seat.

While the president has not yet weighed in on the race, he mentioned Barr during an April 8 event at the White House, saying “good luck with everything. I hear good things.”

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on April 8 released a list of 35 “competitive” Republican-held House seats that they are targeting as potential key pickup opportunities for the 2026 election cycle, which included Barr’s district.

Barr’s campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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