(LEX 18) — Sen. Mitch McConnell's announcement that he will not seek re-election in 2026 sent shockwaves through the Kentucky Capitol.
While many figured this day was eventually coming, they were surprised nonetheless.
"It is the end of an era," said Andy Westberry with the Republican Party of Kentucky.
"Senator McConnell has been a force my entire life here in the Commonwealth," he added.
Westberry believes Kentucky Republicans owe everything to McConnell.
"Prior to Senator McConnell, there was no Republican Party of Kentucky. In 1984, he and Bob Gabel literally built our party up from the ashes," Westberry said. "In those days, there were hardly [any] Republicans in Washington and there were pretty much no Republicans here in the General Assembly. The tables have been completely flipped and that’s directly attributed to Senator McConnell."
McConnell was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1984. Republicans say the power he has gained in Washington directly helped Kentucky.
"To have that amount of clout sitting in those meetings for years," said House Speaker David Osborne. "Point no further than the construction of the Brent Spence Bridge. Without Mitch McConnell, as majority leader, that does not happen."
"How prominent Kentucky has been as a small state for many, many years in the national eye as well as the international eye because Senator McConnell, on occasion, has been the most prominent Republican in the nation," said Senate President Robert Stivers.
"We are well known for punching above our weight class," added Westberry. "We are a small state. We are not California. We are not New York. But ironically, we have some of the most powerful congressional members in the country."
While McConnell delivered his speech on Thursday, the race for Kentucky's U.S. Senate seat quickly began.
Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who lost his race for governor in 2023, jumped into the senate race. Congressman Andy Barr also expressed interest in running.
His campaign quickly criticized Cameron, calling him a "failed candidate."
“When President Trump and Andy Barr teamed up in his 2018 election, they won Kentucky’s toughest Congressional race against Amy McGrath and the Trump resistance. When President Trump endorsed Daniel Cameron for Governor, Daniel embarrassed the President and our party by losing in a state that President Trump won by over 30 points—including losing Andy Barr’s district by 19 points," their statement said. "We need proven winners, not folks who can’t win even with the support of the greatest President we’ve ever seen.”
Other candidates also jumped into the race or expressed interest as well.
As the announcements piled on, House Speaker David Osborne laughed and said this was to be expected.
"Everybody, I think, knew that at such time that he chose not to seek reelection, it was going to be a very, very spirited and competitive primary. Perhaps on both sides," Osborne said. "There’s a lot of pent-up energy to run for the US Senate in Kentucky. There haven’t been many opportunities."
