SCOOP: Republican Daniel Cameron blasted by likely GOP opponent as McConnell successor fight begins

FIRST ON FOX: Just after announcing his bid for former Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell’s seat, Daniel Cameron is being slammed for his electability, or lack thereof, by a potential GOP opponent. 

“When President Trump and Andy Barr teamed up in his 2018 election, they won Kentucky’s toughest Congressional race against Amy McGrath and the Trump resistance,” Tyler Staker, spokesperson for Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement. 

“When President Trump endorsed Daniel Cameron for Governor, Daniel embarrassed the President and our party by losing in a state that President Trump won by over 30 points—including losing Andy Barr’s district by 19 points. We need proven winners, not folks who can’t win even with the support of the greatest President we’ve ever seen,” he continued. 

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Brandon Moody, Cameron’s Senate campaign strategist, told Fox News Digital in a statement, “Daniel Cameron is up 30 points on Andy Barr in the latest statewide public polling. So Andy is a little confused about electability. Probably too much wine last night from his hundredth lobbyist dinner of the month.”

McConnell announced on Thursday that he would not be seeking re-election when his seat is up in 2026, opening up an opportunity for new candidates in red Kentucky. 

“I’ve never liked calling too much attention to today’s date, February 20th. But I figured my birthday would be as good a day as any to share with our colleagues a decision I made last year about how I’ll approach the 119th Congress,” the longtime Republican leader said on the Senate floor. 

“My current term in the Senate will be my last,” he revealed. 

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Immediately following the news, Cameron announced his campaign for the seat. He notably served as Kentucky’s attorney general before unsuccessfully running for governor, losing to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. 

National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., issued the following statement on the retirement news: “Senator Mitch McConnell dedicated his life to public service and the state he loves. Our country is grateful for his leadership and legacy of confirming conservative judges and justices, and safeguarding the Republican Senate Majority. Kentucky is a red state, so the NRSC is confident that our eventual nominee will be a principled, America First conservative who will join our Majority’s fight for our nation’s Golden Era.”

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Barr did not say whether he would jump into the Senate race on Thursday, but he did write on X, “As I’ve said before this announcement, I am considering running for Senate because Kentucky deserves a Senator who will fight for President Trump and the America First Agenda. I’ve done that every day in the House and would do so in the Senate. I’m encouraged by the outpouring of support and my family and I will be making a decision about our future soon.”

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, won’t be running for McConnell’s seat. Spokesperson Austin Hacker said in a statement, “Congressman Comer will not be running for Senate in 2026 but is strongly considering a run for Governor in 2027.”

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Kentucky is strongly favored for Republicans in the 2026 Senate race, but Democrats are expected to put significant money and effort into making it competitive. 

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) spokesman David Bergstein said in a statement, “Republicans were already facing a difficult Senate map and now another open seat has created an additional defensive headache for them.”