2026 United States Senate election in Kentucky

The 2026 United States Senate election in Kentucky will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Kentucky. Republican congressman Andy Barr and Democratic former state representative Charles Booker are the nominees for their respective parties. Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell is not seeking an eighth term.

Primary elections were held on May 19. Endorsed by President Donald Trump, Barr won the Republican nomination with 60.5% of the vote over former state attorney general Daniel Cameron. Booker, the Democratic nominee in 2022, was nominated a second time with 47% of the vote over Marine officer Amy McGrath and state House minority leader Pamela Stevenson.

This will be the first open Senate election in Kentucky since 2010. Democrats have not won a Senate race in Kentucky since 1992.

Background Kentucky, a Southern state in the Bible Belt, is generally considered to be a Republican stronghold, having not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1992. Republicans control both U.S. Senate seats, all but two statewide executive offices, supermajorities in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly, and all but one seat in Kentucky's U.S. House delegation. Democrats control both the governorship and lieutenant-governorship, which flipped from Republican control in 2019.

McConnell was first elected in 1984, defeating then-incumbent Walter Dee Huddleston, and was re-elected in six subsequent elections.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Andy Barr, U.S. representative from (2013–present)

Eliminated in primary Daniel Cameron, former Kentucky attorney general (2019–2024) and nominee for governor in 2023 Anissa Catlett, sourcing supply chain manager James D. Duncan, professional farrier Michael Faris, helicopter maintenance business owner Valerie Fredrick, medical doctor, farmer and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022 Jonathan M. Holliday, veteran and former Lexington police officer Jimmy I. Leon, veteran and educator Andrew "Nick" Shelley, volunteer firefighter George Washington, filmmaker Donald Wenzel, businessman

Withdrawn Nate Morris, business conglomerate owner (endorsed Barr)

Declined James Comer, U.S. representative for (2016–present) (running for re-election) Mitch McConnell, incumbent U.S. senator (1985–present) David Osborne, speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives (2018–present) from the 59th district (2005–present) Damon Thayer, former state senator from the 17th district (2003–2025) Thomas Massie, U.S. representative for (2012–present) (ran for re-election)

Endorsements

Fundraising Italics indicate a withdrawn candidate. Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handAndy Barr (R)$8,403,849$9,649,131$2,447,795Daniel Cameron (R)$2,154,476$2,072,058$82,418Michael Faris (R)$61,529$78,371$0Nate Morris (R)$8,592,132$7,883,807$708,324Donald Wenzel (R)$2,431$2,431$0Source: Federal Election Commission

Polling Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdated AndyBarr DanielCameron NateMorris Other/UndecidedMarginDecision Desk HQthrough May 11, 2026May 17, 202637.1%27.3%10.1%25.5%Barr +9.8%Race to the WHthrough May 11, 2026May 17, 202638.1%24.2%10.4%27.3%Barr +13.9%FiftyPlusOnethrough May 11, 2026May 17, 202644.1%25.4%8.6%21.9%Barr +18.7%Aggregate39.8%25.6%9.7%24.9%Barr +14.2%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AndyBarr DanielCameron NateMorris Other UndecidedUpONE Insights (R)May 9–11, 2026600 (LV)± 4.0%46%27%8%3%16%Public Opinion Strategies (R)May 3–5, 2026600 (LV)± 4.0%43%24%9%5%19% May 1, 2026 Trump endorses Barr, Morris withdraws from the race and endorses BarrUpONE Insights (R)April 2026– (LV)–33%32%13%5%17%Emerson CollegeMarch 29–31, 2026549 (LV)± 4.1%28%21%15%6%29%Public Opinion Strategies (R)March 10–12, 2026600 (LV)± 4.0%29%31%13%–27%UpONE Insights (R)March 2026– (LV)–26%42%12%–20%Quantus Insights (R)February 4, 2026870 (LV)± 3.3%28%27%17%9%19%Emerson CollegeJanuary 31 – February 2, 2026523 (LV)± 4.2%24%21%14%4%37%UpONE Insights (R)February 2026– (LV)–29%33%12%–26%Fabrizio, Lee & Associates (R)January 27–29, 2026800 (LV)± 3.5%21%29%18%–32%OnMessage Inc. (R)January 5–8, 2026600 (LV)± 4.0%25%40%13%–22%UpONE Insights (R)January 2026– (LV)–27%42%11%–20%UpOne Insights (R)October 13–14, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%25%42%10%–23%co/efficient (R)October 8–10, 2025911 (LV)± 3.2%22%39%8%4%27%Public Opinion Strategies (R)September 2–4, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%29%37%8%–26%Fabrizio, Lee & Associates (R)August 2025– (V)–17%40%5%–38%UpOne Insights (R)August 2025– (V)–19%39%10%–32%McLaughlin & Associates (R)April 13–15, 2025500 (LV)± 4.5%18%44%2%–36%UpONE Insights (R)March 2025– (LV)–21%51%3%–25%co/efficient (R)February 25–26, 20251,134 (LV)± 3.1%18%39%3%11%31%UpOne Insights (R)Mid–February 2025– (V)–19%47%3%–31%co/efficient (R)December 2–3, 20241,298 (LV)± 3.1%12%37%1%14%36%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AndyBarr DanielCameron KellyCraft ThomasMassie NateMorris Undecidedco/efficient (R) December 2–3, 2024 1,298 (LV) ± 3.1%10%32%3%16%0%39%

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Charles Booker, former state representative (2019–2021), nominee for U.S. Senate in 2022 and candidate in 2020

Eliminated in primary Joshua Blanton Sr., U.S. Army veteran Logan Forsythe, attorney Amy McGrath, member of the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors (2022–present), nominee for U.S. Senate in 2020, and nominee for in 2018 Dale Romans, horse trainer Pamela Stevenson, minority leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives (2025–present) from the 43rd district (2021–present) and nominee for Attorney General in 2023 Vincent Thompson, farmer

Withdrawn Joel Willett, defense contractor

Declined Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky (2019–present) Jacqueline Coleman, lieutenant governor of Kentucky (2019–present) (running for governor in 2027)

Endorsements

Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of March 30, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handCharles Booker (D)$368,365$170,265$198,100Logan Forsythe (D)As of April 17, 2026, the most recent report is dated December 31, 2025.$46,938$43,805$3,133Amy McGrath (D)$1,942,704$1,631,150$311,554Dale Romans (D)$821,111$380,233$440,878Pamela Stevenson (D)As of April 17, 2026, the most recent report is dated September 30, 2025.$266,963$242,099$24,864Joel Willett (D)$350,036$321,249$28,787Source: Federal Election Commission

Polling Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdated CharlesBooker LoganForsythe AmyMcGrath DaleRomans PamelaStevenson VincentThompson Other/UndecidedMarginRace to the WHthrough February 5, 2026February 5, 202635.7%2.0%18.1%0.8%3.1%1.7%38.6%Booker +17.6%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error CharlesBooker LoganForsythe AmyMcGrath PamelaStevenson JoelWillett Other UndecidedEmerson CollegeMarch 29–31, 2026400 (LV)± 4.9%36%–18%3%––38%Emerson CollegeJanuary 31 – February 2, 2026523 (LV)± 4.2%30%1%19%4%–3%43%Public Policy Polling (D)October 17–18, 2025590 (LV)± 4.0%33%2%30%3%1%–31%

Results

Independents Candidates Declared Christopher Todd Campbell

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs ofThe Cook Political ReportSeptember 23, 2026Decision Desk HQOctober 2, 2026The EconomistOctober 3, 2026FiftyPlusOneOctober 3, 2026Fox NewsSeptember 22, 2026Inside ElectionsOctober 1, 2026RealClearPoliticsSeptember 24, 2026Sabato's Crystal BallSeptember 22, 2026Silver BulletinOctober 3, 2026Split TicketOctober 2, 2026

Post-primary endorsements

Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on hand Andy Barr (R)$9,981,055$11,368,587$2,305,546 Charles Booker (D)$1,099,509$789,887$309,623Source: Federal Election Commission

Polling Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregation Datesadministered Datesupdated AndyBarr (R) CharlesBooker (D)Other/Undecided MarginRace to the WHthrough August 27, 2026September 11, 202649.8%39.2%11.0%Barr +10.6%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AndyBarr (R) CharlesBooker (D) UndecidedGlobal Strategy Group (D)August 24–27, 2026600 (LV)± 4.0%49%40%11%Public Policy Polling (D)December 18–19, 2025650 (V)–49%38%13%

Daniel Cameron vs. Charles Booker Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DanielCameron (R) CharlesBooker (D) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling (D)December 18–19, 2025650 (V)–46%39%15%

Nate Morris vs. Charles Booker Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error NateMorris (R) CharlesBooker (D) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling (D)December 18–19, 2025650 (V)–41%40%19% Generic Republican vs. Charles Booker Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error GenericRepublican CharlesBooker (D) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling (D)December 18–19, 2025650 (V)–50%36%14%

Generic Republican vs. Amy McGrath Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error GenericRepublican AmyMcGrath (D) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling (D)December 18–19, 2025650 (V)–51%35%14%

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links Official campaign websites Andy Barr (R) Charles Booker (D) Christopher Campbell (I)