Names Floated For Kentucky Race

By
Rachel Stevenson
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Well, it finally happened—after more than four decades in the Senate, Mitch McConnell is calling it quits. And while some are treating this like the end of an era, plenty of conservatives are ready to hold the door open and let it hit him on the way out.

McConnell, of course, gave the usual farewell speech, talking about how “humbled” he was by the trust Kentuckians placed in him. No doubt, he’s been a political institution, but let’s be honest—his legacy is a mixed bag. Yes, he played a major role in reshaping the judiciary, helping confirm a record number of conservative judges, including three Supreme Court justices under Trump. But in recent years, his status as a Republican power broker took a serious hit as the base increasingly saw him as out of step with the MAGA movement.

And let’s not forget his Trump skepticism—something that never sat well with a lot of conservatives. He kept his distance from Trump post-2020, threw cold water on Trump’s influence in the party, and even voted against some of Trump’s key nominees, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. That alone guaranteed his approval rating among MAGA voters hovered somewhere between “meh” and “good riddance.”

Now, with McConnell on his way out, the big question is: Who’s next? The race to replace him has already kicked off, and the names being tossed around are… interesting. Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron jumped in almost immediately, which was expected. Cameron was once considered a rising star in GOP circles, but after a disappointing run for governor in 2023, some are wondering if he has the momentum to pull this off.

Then there’s Scott Jennings—longtime GOP strategist, former Bush administration official, and, most notably, one of the few conservative voices who still manages to cut through the nonsense over on CNN. If you’ve ever watched him verbally dismantle liberal talking points on live television, you know why some Republicans are excited about the idea of him running. He’s sharp, articulate, and definitely knows how to handle himself in a debate. But do conservatives really want to lose one of their most effective media warriors just to send him to the Senate? Because let’s be real—CNN will have a field day getting rid of the one guy on their network who regularly makes their leftist panelists squirm.

Of course, not everyone is sold on either Cameron or Jennings. There’s already chatter on X (formerly Twitter) about Congressman Thomas Massie being the better choice. Massie is a libertarian-leaning conservative with a strong following among the “small government, anti-establishment” crowd, which would certainly shake things up. If he jumps in, this could get very interesting very quickly.

The bottom line is, McConnell’s exit marks a major shift in Kentucky politics and the broader Republican landscape. Whoever takes his place will have to navigate a party that is no longer defined by old-school establishment politics but by a base that expects real, America First leadership. McConnell’s ability to play the long game served him well for decades, but the GOP today is moving in a different direction. And if this race turns into a battle between an old-guard pick and a MAGA-approved candidate, buckle up—it’s going to be one heck of a fight.

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