Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Andy Barr in Kentucky’s Republican Senate primary on Friday, positioning the congressman as his choice to fill the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell. Trump made the endorsement as he entered another Republican primary fight, posting that he “know[s] Andy well” and that Barr “is always a Vote we can count on because he knows what it takes to GET THINGS DONE,” according to a Truth Social post.
The endorsement sets up a GOP contest in Kentucky scheduled for May 19. Barr is set to face former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron in the primary, after Trump’s earlier comments about Nate Morris reshaped the field. Trump had announced in a separate Truth Social post just before his endorsement of Barr that he’d asked Morris to “step aside” from the race to join his administration as an ambassador.
Trump described Morris as “a terrific businessman and strong MAGA Warrior,” writing that he would later announce Morris’ specific role. Shortly afterward, Morris posted on X that he was proud to be part of the Trump administration, and in a separate post, endorsed Barr.
Barr welcomed the endorsement, saying he was honored to have Trump’s support. In a statement, Barr said he would stand with Trump “100% to deliver for Kentucky and to keep Making America Great Again,” framing his bid around loyalty to Trump.
In the Republican primary contest, Trump’s endorsement also adds another signal to voters in a state where he won 64% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election. All three Republicans in the race — Barr, Cameron and Morris prior to his withdrawal — sought the president’s backing and emphasized their Trump loyalty, according to the AP report.
A consultant for Cameron, Brandon Moody, responded briefly to the endorsement in a texted statement. Moody said, “Congrats to Mitch McConnell for getting his guy,” but did not provide additional explanation.
The AP report also noted that Trump’s influence in Senate primaries extends beyond Kentucky. The story said it was not the first time Trump has endorsed or teased an endorsement in a Senate primary, and it cited examples including Louisiana and Texas: in Louisiana, Trump backed Sen. Bill Cassidy’s challenger, Rep. Julia Letlow, after Cassidy voted to convict the president during his 2021 impeachment trial related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol; in Texas, Trump has dangled a possible endorsement in a primary between Sen. John Cornyn and challenger Ken Paxton, though he has not announced anything.
Kentucky’s Democratic field includes former state lawmaker Charles Booker and former Marine pilot Amy McGrath. Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate race in Kentucky since 1992, and the AP story added that it was updated to correct that McGrath won the 2020 Democratic primary, not Booker.