Nate Morris Launches Senate Bid as 'MAGA' Outsider

Nate Morris, CEO of Morris Industries, has officially launched his campaign to replace retiring Senator Mitch McConnell, positioning his bid as a populist 'America First' movement aimed at removing establishment influence from Washington. Morris announced his candidacy on Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast, highlighting his working-class Kentucky roots and sharply criticizing McConnell and Republican primary rivals Andy Barr and Daniel Cameron as beholden to the establishment. His campaign rhetoric includes calls to 'take out the trash' in Washington and a proposed moratorium on all immigration to focus on deportations, arguing that the future of 'Western civilization' is at stake. Morris's MAGA credentials have been questioned by opponents, citing his past support for Nikki Haley and progressive hiring policies. The Republican primary, set for May 2026, also includes Barr, Cameron, and is joined by Democrat Pam Stevenson. The race is emerging as a defining contest over Kentucky's Republican direction following McConnell's tenure.