Kentucky Senate: Life After McConnell
February 20, 2025 · 3:10 PM EST
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell’s announcement that he would not seek an eighth term in office was not a surprise. But the decision by the longest serving Senate leader in American history nonetheless caps an era of politics defined by the master tactician, who reshaped the federal judiciary and helped elect dozens of GOP senators over his two-decade reign.
When McConnell won his first election to the Senate in 1984, it was an upset victory over Democratic incumbent Walter “Dee” Huddleston, who he beat by 0.4 percent. At the time, Kentucky was a Democratic stronghold — but over the course of McConnell’s tenure the state morphed into one of the most Republican in the country.
That means McConnell’s successor will almost surely be a Republican, and a slow-burning shadow primary among a half-dozen GOP hopefuls is already spilling into public view.
Former state attorney general Daniel Cameron, a McConnell protege, launched his campaign just an hour after the senator made his announcement. Cameron, 39, has been tagged as a rising star in the party since his 2019 election as attorney general, but he suffered a setback in 2023 when he lost a high-profile gubernatorial race to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, 53-47 percent.
Rep. Andy Barr, who represents Lexington, has also been open about his interest in running. Barr recently lost an internal GOP contest for the chairmanship of the House Financial Services Committee, which could push him to look for advancement elsewhere. He is the only member of the Kentucky delegation to represent a remotely competitive congressional district.
State Auditor Allison Ball has been elected three times statewide (twice as treasurer and once as auditor) and won a competitive statewide GOP primary in 2015. She will be part of the conversation, but she’s also a potential House candidate in the 5th District whenever 23-term Rep. Hal Rogers retires.
Libertarian-leaning Rep. Thomas Massie would be a candidate in the mold of Sen. Rand Paul, and his quirky brand of politics has given him a dedicated following. But he’s also made an enemy of President Donald Trump on numerous occasions (Trump tried to recruit a primary challenger against him and told Republicans to “throw Massie out” of the GOP).
Entrepreneur and insurance company owner Nate Morris has also expressed an interest in running. The Lexington businessman is close with Sen. Rand Paul and has publicly clashed with McConnell and Barr on social media.
State Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe is a dark horse candidate — but she could also run for Barr’s seat if he runs for Senate.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer ruled out a bid but expressed an interest in running for governor in 2027.
A poll conducted by Cameron’s former pollster late last year but released this past week found Cameron leading a GOP primary field with 32 percent of the vote, followed by Massie with 16 percent and Barr with 10 percent.
On the Democratic side, state House Minority Leader Pam Stevenson has filed paperwork to run. Stevenson is a retired Air Force colonel who was her party’s nominee for attorney general in 2023, losing 58-42 percent.
Beshear, the most popular Democrat in the state, ruled himself out last year, telling reporters “I’m completely and totally ruling out a run for any open Senate seat in 2026.” And the governor’s political advisor, Eric Hyers, reiterated Beshear’s earlier stance on social media soon after McConnell’s announcement: “To spare my inbox, texts and voicemail today, just putting this here and on the record: He is not running for Senate.”
The state’s few other remaining prominent Democrats — Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, former state House Speaker Greg Stumbo, and former state House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins — are more likely to run for governor in 2027 than Senate in 2026.