The 2026 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Kentucky. Republican representative Andy Barr defeated Democratic former state representative Charles Booker. Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell did not seek 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.
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 Kentucky's 6th congressional district (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Withdrawn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 Kentucky's 1st congressional district (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 Kentucky's 4th congressional district (2012–present) (ran for re-election)
Endorsements
Andy Barr
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)
- Markwayne Mullin, U.S. secretary of homeland security (2026–present)
- Kelly Craft, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (2019–2021)
- John Thune, Senate majority leader (2025–present) from South Dakota (2005–present)
- Ted Budd, North Carolina (2023–present)
- Tom Cotton, Arkansas (2015–present)
- Tim Scott, South Carolina (2013–present)
- Steve Scalise, House majority leader (2023–present) from LA-01 (2008–present)
- 120 other U.S. representatives
- Mike Wilson, majority whip of the Kentucky Senate from SD-32 (2011–present)
- Max Wise, majority leader of the Kentucky Senate (2025–present) from SD-16 (2015–present)
- David Meade, speaker pro tempore of the Kentucky House of Representatives (2019–present) from HD-80 (2013–present)
- Amanda Mays Bledsoe, SD-12 (2023–present)
- Greg Elkins, SD-28 (2023–present)
- Scott Madon, SD-29 (2025–present)
- Phillip Wheeler, SD-31 (2019–present)
- Kim King, HD-55 (2011–present)
- Damon Thayer, former majority leader of the Kentucky Senate from SD-17 (2013–2025)
- Killian Timoney, former HD-45 (2021–2025)
- Joe Craft, businessman
- Riley Gaines, conservative activist and former swimmer
- Nate Morris, businessman
- AIPAC
- National Republican Senatorial Committee
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Michael Faris
Nate Morris (withdrawn)
Fundraising
Italics indicate a withdrawn candidate.
Polling
Aggregate polls
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 Kentucky's 6th congressional district 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
Charles Booker
Amy McGrath
Third-party and independents
Candidates
- Christopher Todd Campbell (Kentucky Party)
- Thomas Michael Murphy (Write-in)
General election
Post-primary endorsements
Charles Booker (D)