A critical Kentucky seat in the U.S. Senate will soon have a new face after former GOP leader Mitch McConnell announced his retirement in February, and Republican hopefuls appear to be gearing up for what will be a challenging primary.

Daniel Cameron, Kentucky’s first Black attorney general and 2024 gubernatorial candidate, still remains the only declared Republican candidate so far after he announced his intention to run for the vacant seat just days after McConnell’s retirement address.

With first quarter fundraising numbers being released on Tuesday, another possible candidate has been seemingly busy building a war chest behind the scenes.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN ARM TOUTS ‘UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM’ WITH RECORD FUNDRAISING HAUL

Republican Rep. Andy Barr, R-Kentucky, who has hinted at a possible run though has not officially stepped into the race, posted a sizable $2.26 million raised since January, with approximately $5.35 million in cash on hand through various Political Action Committees.

Amanda Milward, a spokesperson for the Barr campaign, spoke with Fox News Digital after the numbers were posted on Tuesday. 

“Andy Barr is humbled by the outpouring of support from Kentuckians and donors across the country for his strong America First leadership,” Milward explained. “As Andy considers running for the U.S. Senate, it is clear that Kentucky Republicans want leaders who will not only stand with President Trump, but who also have the drive and resources to win. We cannot afford to lose another statewide race.”

Cameron posted $507,656 in campaign contributions and $455,395 cash on hand after expenditures. 

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“From every corner of Kentucky to supporters across the country, folks are rallying behind our campaign because they’re ready for a true America First fighter—someone who will stand up for our values and advance President Trump’s agenda in the U.S. Senate,” Cameron told Fox News Digital Tuesday. “We’re pressing forward, the path to victory is clear, and we’re not looking back.”

Former Senate Leader Mitch McConnell was elected to the coveted seat in 1985, making him the longest-serving senator in Kentucky history. 

Former GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell announced his retirement in February. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

However, McConnell’s endorsement may not carry the weight it did some years ago, given the tumultuous relationship between the Kentucky senator and President Donald Trump. Sources close to the race told Fox News Digital that a McConnell endorsement would actually do more harm than good and that the endorsement from President Trump is the key to the ticket. 

While President Trump has not yet endorsed a candidate, he has made comments about both Cameron and Barr in the past. 

Last week at the White House, the president made a nod to Barr’s attendance during a press conference, telling the likely candidate “good luck with everything, I hear good things.”

GOP SENATOR REVEALS WHY TRUMP’S ‘COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT’ WILL BE CRUCIAL FOR HIS MIDTERM RACE

Notably, a Trump endorsement for Cameron would not be the first, as the 45th and 47th president endorsed Cameron for governor in October 2023. Following Cameron’s loss to Democrat Andy Beshear, Trump blamed ties with McConnell as the reason for the defeat.

“Daniel Cameron lost because he couldn’t alleviate the stench of Mitch McConnell,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “I told him early that’s a big burden to overcome. McConnell and Romney are Kryptonite for Republican Candidates. I moved him up 25 Points, but the McConnell relationship was ‘too much to bear.”

Both President Donald Trump, left, and Sen. Mitch McConnell endorsed Daniel Cameron for governor of Kentucky, but the two Republican titans have a contentious relationship. (AP Photo; Reuters)

To shake things up even more, a third possible candidate is eyeing a possible run for the hotly contested seat.

Wealthy businessman Nate Morris, CEO of Morris Industries and former CEO of Rubicon Investments, has also been in the mix of possible names in the primary. 

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Morris has already targeted ties to McConnell as a possible weakness for a potential victor, posting on X that “the last thing Kentucky needs is another puppet for Mitch McConnell.”

Who the sitting president plans to support remains unclear, though it seems his endorsement in the race may be one of the more substantial in the upcoming midterm election. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Nate Morris for comment but did not receive a response.

Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston

The Kentucky Wildcats received good news recently from Brandon Garrison, who announced he would return next season. That left Otega Oweh as the last big piece to make a decision on his future. On Tuesday, he took a step towards that by declaring for the NBA draft.

Oweh led the Wildcats in scoring last season at over 16 points per game. His ability to drive and get to the rim was second-to-none. He was also terrific at drawing contact and getting to the free-throw line.

A declaration for the draft does not mean he is locked into the NBA path yet. It means he will go through the process of evaluation. Should he decide he doesn’t want to go that route, he is eligibile to return to Lexington and the Wildcats.

The news is sure to make Big Blue Nation a little nervous, especially after missing on Lamar Wilkerson. Oweh is a focal point of the offense, and is sure to be the starting shooting guard if he’s back.

Fans will have to wait a little longer for a final decision. May 28th is the deadline to withdraw from the draft and return to school. ESPN currently ranks him as the number 86 overall prospect (subscription required).

Go to UKWildcatsWire for continuing coverage of Oweh and all Kentucky Wildcats sports news.

Brandon Garrison’s return for a second season with Kentucky was announced last week, and that was a significant development in terms of gaining an understanding of what next year’s team might look like.

The 6’10 soon to be junior averaged 17.3 minutes, 5.9 points (50.9% FG), 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game for the Wildcats in the 2024-25 season.

Justin Rowland: I’ve always liked Brandon Garrison a lot as a prospect. He’s capable of doing so many things well on the offensive end of the court. Defensively, he looks lost sometimes and that has to improve in order for him to play a lot more minutes next season. Fortunately for Kentucky there are enough frontcourt pieces that they can hope for a Garrison breakout while having contingency plans lined up. My question is this: Garrison is a high usage player. When he’s on the court he’s in the middle of the action. He’s orchestrating a lot of the ball movement and he’s very active and involved. When he was good, he was really good and easy to think of as a great prospect. When he was off, he was definitely off, and those moments need to become fewer and farther between. We have to acknowledge that for a lot of the season Kentucky was much better in terms of +/- when Amari Williams played compared to Garrison. Having said all that, Garrison is a good piece to return because of the upside, the experience, and the versatility it gives the frontcourt. If he’s solid, that’s a plus. If he’s good or really good, and that’s possible, it raises the team’s ceiling a lot.

Jeff Drummond: The return of Brandon Garrison comes as something of a pleasant surprise. A lot of people around the program were sensing that he might be moving on at the end of the season. I think that’s why Mark Pope went out of his way to talk about how much of a “special player” Garrison could be in the future. His pitch must have worked. It’s always good to have experience and continuity back with a team. And it won’t force Malachi Moreno to be forced into heavy minutes before he’s ready. Garrison is offensively skilled but needs to bring more to the table on the glass and defensively in Year 2. I think he’s got the potential to be a really well-rounded player on both ends of the floor.

David Sisk: It is great for everyone involved that Brandon Garrison is returning for year two at Kentucky. He needs stability and development. It’s much better for him to stay and trust the coaches than to go to the third place in three years. Sometimes I think his biggest needs are emotionally. It’s always better to get that from individuals you know and trust. We also get the opportunity to see what year two of player development looks like under Mark Pope. A team also needs quality depth in the SEC. At worst, Garrison brings that. At best, those flashes that he showed last season in certain games can turn into consistent difference making play for a team that could end up going deep into March.