Experimental Page -2026 United States Senate election in Kentucky

2026 United States Senate election in Kentucky

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November 3, 2026

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Party	Republican	Democratic

Incumbent U.S. senator

Mitch McConnell
Republican

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The 2026 United States Senate election in Kentucky will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Kentucky. Incumbent seven-term Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who was re-elected with 57.8% of the vote in 2020, has not announced whether he will run for re-election. Media sources have speculated that McConnell, first elected in 1984, may choose not to run for re-election in 2026, owing to his declining health and his decision to retire as Senate Republican Leader after the 2024 Senate elections.^[1]

Background

[edit]

Kentucky is generally considered to be a Republican stronghold, having not elected a Democrat to the U.S. senate since 1992. Republicans control both U.S. Senate seats, all but two statewide offices, supermajorities in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly, and all but one seat in its congressional delegation in Kentucky's U.S. House congressional delegation.^[2] McConnell was first elected in 1984 and was re-elected in six subsequent elections.^[3] However, Democrats control the governorship and lieutenant-governorship which flipped from Republican control in 2019.^[4]

Republican primary

[edit]

Democratic primary

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]

Declined

[edit]

Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky (2019–present)^[8]

References

[edit]

^ Bolton, Alexander (April 2, 2024). "McConnell will serve out full term through 2026". The Hill. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ "Kentucky House and Senate Republicans maintain supermajority". kaco.org. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
^ "Sen. Mitch McConnell wins another term in Kentucky, NBC News projects". NBC News. November 4, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
^ Golshan, Tara (November 6, 2019). "Democrat Andy Beshear just unseated Kentucky's Trump-loving governor". Vox. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Catanese, David (March 21, 2024). "Who would be the front-runner for McConnell's Senate seat in 2026?". McClatchy. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
^ Bolton, Alexander (April 2, 2024). "McConnell will serve out full term through 2026". The Hill. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
^ Bullis, Hailey (May 24, 2024). "Thomas Massie denies plans to run for McConnell's Senate seat in 2026". Washington Examiner. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
^ Karyn, Czar (March 1, 2024). "Beshear rules out possible Senate run in 2026". WUKY.

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Background

Republican primary

Candidates

Potential

Declined

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declined

References