Funding, Endorsements, and Fights in Kentucky’s 2026 Races

Funding, Endorsements, and Fights for Kentucky’s 2026 Races: What the Numbers Say

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Key takeaways

• Money matters in Kentucky politics: Rep. Andy Barr is leading the fundraising pack with more than $6.2 million in cash on hand.
• Heavy Q4 showings: Barr raised almost $1.4 million in the final quarter (Sep. 30–Dec. 31).
• Self-funding highlight: Lexington tech entrepreneur Nate Morris pulled in $2 million in Q4, with about $1.4 million from his own pocketbook.
• Missing numbers: Daniel Cameron has not released fundraising figures as of Tuesday evening.
• Endorsements shaping the field: Mike Duncan endorses Rogers; McConnell also backs Rogers; Duncan calls Rogers a “strong champion in Washington.”

Table of contents

• Money in Kentucky races
• Rogers endorsement and Duncan
• Rand Paul on Rogan
• 4th District: Gallrein vs Massie
• Other notes

Money in Kentucky races

Central Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr continues to lead the money race, sitting on more than $6.2 million in cash on hand. He raised almost $1.4 million in the final quarter of the year, from Sep. 30 to Dec. 31.

Lexington tech entrepreneur Nate Morris continued to raise a large amount of money. He brought in $2 million during the final quarter, about $1.4 million of that coming from his own pocketbook; Morris founded the waste and tech company Rubicon and made $41 million in just one year there.

Daniel Cameron, the former attorney general who has led in polls but trailed behind in the fundraising game, has not released his numbers as of Tuesday evening. Typically, the full breakdown of funds raised into campaigns and political action committees, and where those funds are coming from, in the final quarter of the year become publicly available in the middle of January.

Rogers endorsement and Duncan

Kevin Smith, a Kentucky Republican with a bona fide political resume, launched a primary campaign against Rep. Hal Rogers, the 88-year-old who is the longest continuously-serving member of the U.S. House. The biggest piece of Smith’s resume was his time working closely with Mike Duncan, a Martin County banker who chaired the Republican National Committee in the late ‘00s and led the United States Postal Service during President Donald Trump’s first administration.

On Tuesday, Duncan released a statement to the Herald-Leader making it clear he’s backing Rogers. He wrote that Rogers had his “unwavering support and full endorsement.” “Congressman Hal Rogers is a personal friend… we have no stronger champion in Washington,” Duncan wrote. Smith did not respond to a request for comment on Duncan’s endorsement Tuesday. It’s also noted that McConnell has endorsed Rogers.

Rand Paul on Rogan

Sen. appeared on one of the country’s most popular podcasts, sitting down with Joe Rogan, for more than two hours. The discussion touched on vaccine skepticism and critics of Anthony Fauci, and included meaningful exchanges about how public figures are viewed in contemporary politics.