(WKYT) – U.S. Rep. Andy Barr campaigned in eastern Kentucky on Monday after receiving an endorsement from President Trump in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.
Barr made several stops in eastern Kentucky, beginning in Manchester. He told a crowd at a Manchester hotel that he will not take anything for granted over the next two weeks.
“We are going to work as hard or more hard over these next two weeks to earn every single Republican vote that we can,” Barr said. Barr is hoping to win longtime Senator Mitch McConnell’s seat. McConnell said last year he would not seek re election.
Barr told the crowd he will work to four-lane the Hal Rogers Parkway and stand up for coal. He said the war with Iran will be good for the country and eventual energy prices.
“And I do expect because of President Trump’s insistence on solving that last problem, that energy prices over time will come down,” Barr said. “Thank goodness President Trump has engaged in a policy of energy dominance.”
The race received a shake up late last week with a key candidate announcing he is accepting a new position with President Trump. Nate Morris says he is dropping out because of a new position in Trump’s campaign.
Daniel Cameron’s campaign has called a news conference for Tuesday in Louisville, and did not comment on Trump’s endorsement for Barr Monday.
Democratic candidates respond
Numerous candidates are vying for the Democratic primary nomination.
Charles Booker stated on social media that Trump’s endorsement has been the kiss of death and that they are going to win the race for working people.
Logan Forsythe said Kentucky has a chance to elect a senator who understands the daily lives of Kentuckians.
Amy McGrath said the war with Iran and Trump’s policies have driven too many prices up.
“Kentucky deserves a Senator who is going to stand up for Kentucky,” McGrath said during a zoom call. “And not be a rubber stamp for the policies that hurt us here.”
If McGrath and Barr both win their primaries, it would set up a repeat of the 2018 congressional race that Barr narrowly won. The primary election is Tuesday, May 19.
Logan Forsythe responded to our request for an interview with the entire following statement:
Kentucky has an opportunity this year to not only replace McConnell and choose a senator who understands the daily lives of all Kentuckians, but also elect a candidate who isn’t running for themselves above everyone else. Morris was happy to drop out once he was given a fancy job title from President Trump and Barr has repeatedly shown Kentuckians he cares about one person more than all Kentuckians combined – Trump. The Democratic Party knows what doesn’t work. We know who can’t win. We’ve run candidates in the past who raised millions of dollars from hardworking Kentuckians and special interests and still couldn’t convince enough voters in the general to give democrats a chance. We can either try something new or be doomed to repeat our past.