Exclusive: Republican Rep. Andy Barrs Decree on whether or not to the US Senate in Kentucky will be taken “regardless of the decisions that others make, including senator Mitch McConnell”, he said Fox News Digital on Friday morning in an exclusive interview, and emphasizes that “it is time for Kentucky To have an American senator who supports President Trump. ”
The conference member, who currently represents the 6th Congress district of Kentucky, told Fox News Digital that he does a lot listen now. ”
“I listen to supporters, advisers, friends, people I trust, but above all, I listen to my family and talk to my family, and I am grateful for the strong encouragement to run,” he said. “Many voters encourage me to run to the Senate, and I am grateful for the output of financial support that comes my way.”
Rep. Andy Barr, left, R-ky., “It’s time” for his state to have a senator who supports President Donald Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Scott requirements)
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But Barr said that “ultimately this will be a family decision about our timeline.”
“It will be a decision that we make independent of the decisions that others make, including Senator McConnell, or others who have or will show an interest to walk for the Senate in 2026, so this will be a family decision we take,” ” Said Barr. “The only thing I can say is, I am very, very, very grateful for the outpouring of support, mainly from Kentuckians, but people throughout the country who want to see a strong leadership of America in the American Senate.”
Sources close to Barr told Fox News Digital in 2023 That in 2026 he could be “a serious competition” for the McConnell chair.
Senator Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Was the longest serving party leader in the history of the US Senate. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press)
In a veiled wipe at McConnell, Barr told Fox News Digital that “it’s time for Kentucky to have an American senator who supports President Trump.”
McConnell now has now three of Trump’s now confirmed cabinet secretaries: Defense Secretary Verzet Pete Hegseeth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“He now votes against almost everything,” the President said about McConnell on Thursday. “He is one, you know, very bitter guy.”
Trump also said that McConnell “is not mentally equipped” and said he “let the Republican party go to hell.”
Barr doubled and said: “I think it’s time for Kentucky to have an American senator who has a vision, not just to make America big again, but to make Kentucky great again, and I think that a lot People have encouraged me to run, “Barr. And building a very strong report of constituent services and accessibility to the people of Kentucky. ”
He added: “I have a vision for Kentucky, just like America, to be great again. I have a vision for Kentuckians to reach their potential and to restore the American dream for Kentuckians.”
Barr said that he believes that the state has “enormous potential” and said that “with strong cooperation with President Trump, we can simply offer extraordinary opportunities for the population of Kentucky.”
Rep. Andy Barr’s decision to run for the US Senate in Kentucky will be taken “regardless of the decisions that others make, including senator Mitch McConnell,” he said. (Fox News)
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When he was asked for comment, an McConnell assistant told Fox News Digital that the senator did not announce his plans of 2026.
McConnell, who will become 83 later in February, stepped away from serving as the Senate Republican leader in November 2024. McConnell was the longest serving party leader in the history of the US Senate.
In the meantime, Barr said to Fox News Digital: “I am my own husband.”
“People try to pin me like this kind of Republican or that kind of Republican, but at the end I am an America first conservative that loves my home, Kentucky’s Commonwealth,” he said.
“I think what distinguishes me is that nobody else looks at the race in the trenches at work with President Trump to remove the swamp,” he continued. “I have a proven record and I think that distinguishes me from someone else.”
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But Barr emphasized that his decision to run for the US Senate “is not dependent on someone else.”
“I just stay focused on working with President Trump and working with his team to deliver his first agenda from America – we don’t have time to waste,” Barr told Fox News Digital. “And so that’s my focus right now.”
