Rep. Andy Barr stops in Bowling Green for Senate campaign

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Rep. Andy Barr kicked off the U.S. Senate campaign in south-central Kentucky on Friday with a visit to Olde Stone in Bowling Green.

The congressman, who currently represents Kentucky’s Sixth District in the U.S. House, is seeking to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell in next year’s Senate election.

McConnell is retiring at the end of his current term. Barr says he will always support Kentucky industries, and he believes the best way to do that is through Trump’s tariffs, despite what he calls short-term turbulence in the markets.

Barr says, “What I see is the enormous potential of this trade policy of opening up export markets to American exporters, including the bourbon distillers. Take, for example, India, 1.4 billion people, the largest consumer market on planet Earth, basically inaccessible to Kentucky whiskey producers, 150% tariffs. They’re the most protectionist, allied country in the world for the United States. But look at what President Trump’s trade policy has produced demanding reciprocity. Already those tariffs coming down from 150% to 100%. And we want to take it down to zero.”

Multiple Republican and Democratic candidates are expected to file for McConnell’s Senate seat.

The primary elections will be in May of next year to pick the candidates who will face off in November 2026.