Trump endorses Rep. Andy Barr in Kentucky Senate primary
President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Andy Barr in the 2026 Kentucky Senate Republican primary, urging businessman Nate Morris to exit the race. Morris agreed to drop out and accept a future ambassadorship, subsequently endorsing Barr. The open seat, vacated by retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell, is expected to remain in Republican hands given Kentucky's political leanings.
- ▪President Trump endorsed Rep. Andy Barr for the Kentucky Senate seat and encouraged Nate Morris to leave the race.
- ▪Nate Morris dropped out of the primary and accepted a future ambassadorship, endorsing Barr shortly after.
- ▪The Kentucky Senate seat is open due to Mitch McConnell's retirement, and the Republican nominee is heavily favored to win in the general election.
- ▪Morris had positioned himself as a MAGA-aligned outsider and previously received support from figures like Charlie Kirk and JD Vance.
- ▪Kentucky has not elected a Democratic U.S. Senator since 1992, making the GOP nominee the likely winner in November.
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2026 ElectionTrump endorses Rep. Andy Barr in Kentucky Senate primaryThe president urged businessman Nate Morris, a Barr rival, to drop out of the race and take an ambassadorship. Morris agreed and promptly joined Trump in backing Barr.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., at the Capitol Hill Club, in March.Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 1, 2026, 8:00 PM EDTBy Henry J. GomezPresident Donald Trump moved Friday to thin the Republican field running for Senate in Kentucky, endorsing Rep. Andy Barr and prompting businessman Nate Morris — who had support from key Trump world figures — to drop out of the race for retiring Sen.
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