WASHINGTON — Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) raked in almost $1.4 million in campaign donations last quarter, amassing a more than $6.42 million war chest in the closely watched 2026 Kentucky election to replace retiring Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, according to the latest fundraising figures shared with The Post.
The seven-term GOP congressman’s campaign haul is posing a challenge to his primary opponents — former Bluegrass State Attorney General Daniel Cameron and garbage removal entrepreneur Nate Morris — for McConnell’s old seat.
As of the last filing on Sept. 30, Morris had a $1,070,461 campaign war chest, and Cameron recorded just $629,748 — making the House rep’s donations roughly six and 10 times the amount of his competitors, respectively.
Barr was leading the Senate Republican contest’s fundraising field with more than $6.6 million cash on hand reported, though the Morris Industries CEO topped his opponent in that quarter’s contributions with more than $4 million in donations.
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.
