WASHINGTON — The Republican primary in Kentucky to succeed longtime Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is underway. Two high-profile Republicans, Rep. Andy Barr, R-Lexington, and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, have jumped into the race, establishing what could be one of the biggest GOP primaries in the country next year.
All eyes are on the race within the race -- the battle to win the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
Barr launched his Senate candidacy Tuesday, April 22 and is touting the endorsements of several top Republicans, including Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Somerset, the most senior House Republican.
“I have no doubt that Andy Barr will fight every day to protect eastern Kentucky and Kentucky coal in the Senate,” Rogers said in a statement.
Two other top House Republicans, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Chairperson of House Republican Leadership Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., also threw their support to Barr.
Casey Burgat, the legislative affairs program director at The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management, said those endorsements can serve as signals that the establishment wing of the party vouches for Barr.
“More than ever, they often bring money,” he said. “Scalise is an incredible fundraiser. Stefanik’s an incredible fundraiser. They have (political action committees) associated with it. You’ve got to believe that when there’s an endorsement there, there’s going to be coordination for the lot of these millions of dollars that will go into these races.”
In their statements, both Scalise and Stefanik emphasized Barr’s support of Trump.
Barr is “working every day to earn” the president’s endorsement, he said Tuesday.
“We feel really good about where we are there, but ultimately, we want to earn the support of the voters of Kentucky, and they’re the ones who are ultimately going to decide this election,” said Barr.
Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who launched his campaign in February, promised to back the president’s agenda.
His campaign said in a statement to Spectrum News 1:
“The great Andy Barr re-brand is on as he now will try and convince Kentucky he’s actually conservative and MAGA.”
“In a really Trump-supportive environment that the Kentucky Senate race is going to be, especially in this primary where all these guys are jostling to be the most Trump-conservative person on the ballot, his endorsement matters,” said Burgat. “This is going to be a race to the right and I’m watching how far right will that go.”
McConnell announced in February that he won’t seek another term, opening up his seat.
He said he won’t endorse any Republican as he believes all of them would vote like him.
With the Trump wing of the GOP so dominant, an endorsement by McConnell -- who has been at odds with Trump -- would probably do more harm than good, Burgat said.
