Republican Senator Andy Barr Raises Significant Campaign Funds
Republican Senator Andy Barr from Kentucky has secured nearly $1.8 million for his Senate campaign in the 3rd Funding District. This funding adds to his overall financial resources as he faces what is expected to be a costly primary contest for an open Senate seat.
Barr plans to highlight this fundraising success, which was initially reported to the Daily Caller News Foundation, as a sign of the increasing momentum for his campaign. By the end of the third quarter, which runs from July to September, his campaign had over $6.6 million in funds available.
“Andy Barr is the only candidate with the necessary resources, grassroots backing, and momentum to steer this Senate race in favor of Republicans,” stated campaign spokesperson Alex Bellizzi. “Now is the moment to support Andy Barr as Kentucky’s first U.S. senator.”
Barr announced his candidacy to succeed retiring Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell back in April. Although Republicans are anticipated to capture open seats, the main competition among Barr, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and businessman Nate Morris could become contentious and prolonged.
Former President Trump has not yet taken a position regarding the race, and all three GOP candidates are vying for his endorsement. Barr has emphasized his support of Trump’s policies during his time in the House and highlighted his 2018 win over Democratic Senate candidate Amy McGrath, who has recently declared her intention to run for the open seat.
“Andy Barr was the only candidate who triumphed in a challenging race and aided President Trump in promoting his America First Agenda,” Bellizzi mentioned.
Barr has garnered endorsements from over 50 current and former officials, including two members of the House GOP leadership—Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Ted Budd of North Carolina. Additionally, support has come from nineteen members of the Kentucky General Assembly, women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines, and a notable group of firefighters.
As of September, Cameron appears to be leading in a three-way race but is not too far behind, suggesting a competitive environment. An outside spending group associated with Keep America Great PAC is backing Barr’s campaign.
Cameron, who benefits from significant name recognition from his earlier statewide campaign, leads with 37% support from GOP voters, while Barr follows with 29%, and Morris has attained 8%. A previous poll indicated that Cameron held 51% of the vote in June, but it’s claimed that he has been losing support due to a decline in enthusiasm around his campaign.
As of late June, Barr had significantly outpaced competitors in reporting funds, with $1.4 million compared to Morris’ $532,000. Morris entered the race in July and did not have to file a mid-term campaign finance report.
Neither Cameron nor Morris has released their funding figures for the third quarter yet. Meanwhile, a group supporting Barr has begun airing negative advertisements against Morris as part of a $750,000 campaign effort.
