Amid a gallery of Christian County’s strongest Republicans, Lexington’s Sixth District Congressman Andy Barr held court at Roundies Friday morning in Hopkinsville — jumpstarting his campaign trail more than 11 months before the primary.
An eighth-generation Kentuckian, he’s looking to make one thing clear.
He’s not a Mitch McConnell Republican.
He’s not a Rand Paul Republican.
With respect to both, Barr said he simply wants to be himself in this pursuit of a U.S. Senate seat — claiming to be a bipartisan operator who remains aligned with Israel, the “Make America Great Again” agenda of two-term President Donald J. Trump and this administration.
In the vacuum of McConnell’s exit, Barr said his now 12 years of experience in Washington, D.C., could parlay well in the position if elected, and he’s looking to bring Kentucky’s interests more into focus on The Hill.
This, he added, could include fronts like agriculture, national education policy, fossil fuels, financial services, healthcare, the horse industry, legal immigration, the economy, national defense, the opioid epidemic, spending and the national debt and general conservative values.
Admittedly pro-tariff, Barr also affirmed he will continue to laud orchestration around “The One Big Beautiful Bill” — which is very generally described as a sweeping package of historic tax cuts, the abolishing of taxes on tips, the boosting of the child tax credit, the investing of U.S. border security and the staffing of ICE, but also includes reductions in several federal programs and an increase of the statutory debt limit.
Barr said he decided to enter into this race because he thinks Trump needs an “America-first fighter” in the U.S. Senate, and that he is someone who can “hit the ground running.”
Barr also made specific mention of his Sixth District, noting that Democratic Governor Andy Beshear became a two-term leader by simply winning his region against former Governor Matt Bevin, and later against former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
Comprised of Lexington, Richmond and Georgetown — and more than a half-million Kentuckians as of this past March — the area is reportedly 44.5% Democratic, 43.8% Republican, 6% Other and 5.8% Independent.
As things stand now, Barr — a deputy general counsel under former Governor Ernie Fletcher — and Cameron are the only Republicans who have announced their candidacy for the seat.
Democratic State Rep. Pamela Stevenson, of Louisville, has announced, and is the current Kentucky House Floor Minority Leader, while Lexington Herald-Leader’s Austin Horn reports that Lexington tech entrepreneur Nate Morris could jump in the mix as a Republican.
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