Andy Barr beat Democrat Charles Booker to take the seat of Mitch McConnell, the former Senate Republican leader who retired after four decades in the chamber.
Andy Barr, 53, has been a U.S. representative from Kentucky since 2013. He represents the Lexington area and has served on the House Financial Services and Foreign Affairs committees, where much of his work has focused on banks and finance.
He is now moving to the Senate. The seat opened when Mitch McConnell, who first won it in 1984 and went on to lead Senate Republicans, decided not to run again. Barr won a hard Republican primary with the backing of President Donald Trump.
On Tuesday, Barr defeated Charles Booker, a former state representative from Louisville who was the Democratic nominee. The Associated Press called the race at 9:16 p.m. ET, and Barr finished with about 55 percent of the vote.
His win matters because Kentucky has not had a new senator in this seat for more than 40 years. Barr keeps the seat Republican, but he arrives in a Senate that Democrats will control. Watch how a House member known for finance work builds a Senate career — and how he handles the long shadow of McConnell.
Fast facts
- Age: 53
- Party: Republican
- Office: U.S. Senator
- State: Kentucky
- Previous job: U.S. Representative from Kentucky (since 2013)
- Called by AP: 9:16 p.m. ET, Nov. 3, 2026
Part of the Zark News Election 2026 winners profile series. Winners are listed as called by the Associated Press.
