The candidate who will vie for the seat of retiring former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky blew away his competition during Tuesday’s GOP primaries and is set up to likely go on and win his November race.
Rep. Andy Barr easily bested a slew of other candidates to replace McConnell, a one-time ally of Donald Trump who turned on him after the president’s first term.
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Though it’s a race overshadowed by another contest, where Trump is the driving factor in the state, it’s still significant, given that Barr and his Democratic opponent will be at the forefront of change in the political status quo of the Bluegrass state.
Whoever comes out on top in November will replace McConnell, the longest-serving Republican leader in Senate history, who has been a political force and polarizing figure during his decades in the upper chamber.
But like so many races during this and previous cycles in the Trump era, the president was the main factor on the Republican side.
And Barr’s bid for the upper chamber after serving seven terms in the House was spurred by a late endorsement from Trump earlier this month.
The candidate vying for retiring former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s seat in Kentucky decisively outperformed his competitors during Tuesday’s GOP primaries and is poised to likely win the upcoming November race.
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Rep. Andy Barr easily surpassed a number of other candidates looking to replace McConnell, a one-time ally of Donald Trump who distanced himself from the former president after Trump’s first term.
Although this race is somewhat overshadowed by another contest in the state, where Trump’s influence is significant, it remains important as Barr and his Democratic opponent will play key roles in changing the political landscape in the Bluegrass State.
Should Barr win in November, which is likely, he will succeed McConnell, who has become the longest-serving Republican leader in Senate history and has been both a powerful and polarizing figure throughout his decades in the Senate.
As with many races in this and previous cycles of the Trump era, the president was a major factor in the Republican Party.
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Barr’s campaign for the Senate, after serving seven terms in the House, gained momentum from a late Trump endorsement earlier this month.
“We did have a lead before the endorsement,” Barr said during a campaign event on Monday. “Our lead has skyrocketed since then in the polling that we’re looking at, but we don’t take anything for granted.”
The endorsement helped Barr best his nearest competitor, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who remained confident that he could still win without Trump’s backing.
“I think people are tired of the games that are played in Washington and want somebody that’s looking out for their interests,” Cameron told local news outlet WHAS11 before Election Day.
Trump praised Barr for his loyalty and added that he is the “only Candidate who will easily defeat the Democrat in what will be one of the most important Elections in American History.”
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Trump also praised Barr as a strong supporter of eliminating the Senate filibuster, the procedural hurdle Republicans say has stalled the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act.
The legislation has struggled to advance in the Senate amid unified Democratic opposition and limited Republican support for changing Senate rules to pass the measure.
Last month, a version of the SAVE America Act failed to secure enough Republican backing even under a simple 50-vote threshold.
“He will do everything in his power to get it done,” Trump said. “It is desperately needed by the Republican Party to pass the SAVE AMERICA ACT, and all other things necessary for a strong and brilliant Country!”
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