Kentucky senate election results 2026: Barr wins, AP says

Republican Rep. Andy Barr won Kentucky's U.S. Senate race on Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Democrat Charles Booker to succeed retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell.

The Associated Press projected Barr the winner, WLWT reported. ABC News and DDHQ also called the race for Barr, according to the Courier-Journal.

Barr is set to begin a six-year term in January 2027, according to WLWT.

Unofficial results

With about 80.1% of expected votes counted, 1,295,044 total votes had been tallied, according to NBC News' results page. NBC News cited data provided by the Associated Press.

Source: NBC News / Associated Press data, Nov. 3. An estimated 323,000 votes remained outstanding. Results are unofficial.

The Kentucky State Board of Elections maintains official results on its website. Election results are unofficial until certified, according to LINK nky.

The race

McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history, announced on Feb. 20, 2025, that he would not seek reelection, according to WVXU. He was first elected in 1984. Kentucky has not had a Democratic senator since 1999.

Barr, a Lexington native, has represented Kentucky's 6th Congressional District since 2013, WLWT reported. He won the Republican primary with President Donald Trump's endorsement, beating a field that included former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and businessman Nate Morris, according to the Courier-Journal.

Barr outraised Booker by about $10 million and collected endorsements from six sitting U.S. senators, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the Courier-Journal reported. He campaigned on lower taxes, border security and support for the president's legislative agenda, according to WLKY.

Booker, a former state legislator from Louisville, was making his third run for U.S. Senate, WKYT reported. He lost to Sen. Rand Paul by 23 points in 2022 and won a close primary against Amy McGrath this cycle, according to Louisville Public Media.

Booker focused on rising costs and access to health care, according to WLKY. He was backed by Gov. Andy Beshear and former President Barack Obama in the closing days of the campaign, WLKY reported.

Cook rated the seat ‘Solid Republican’ heading into the election, according to Louisville Public Media. Northern Kentucky was closely watched as a significant player in statewide elections, WLWT reported. Kenton County-level vote totals were not yet available.