foxwilmington.com: https://foxwilmington.com/bluegrass-democrats-make-their-choice-to-replace-mcconnell-take-on-trump-backed-barr/

Speaker: —
Subject: P000603
Source: GDELT news · original
Published: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Bluegrass State Democrats chose their challenger and hopeful successor to longtime Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Tuesday night. Charles Booker, a progressive former state representative who has squared off with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in the past, clinched the Democratic nomination for Senate in Kentucky, besting a crowded field of seven candidates.

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Bluegrass Democrats make their choice to replace McConnell, take on Trump-backed Barr | Fox Wilmington WSFX-TV Skip to content Home Weather Local News National Sports ABOUT WSFX Meet Our Team Sales & Programming Job Openings WHAT’S ON FOX CONTACT WELCOME HOME MEDICALLY SPEAKING PAWS FOR THE CAUSE HOME Local Weather Local Headlines National Headlines Sports Welcome Home Medically Speaking Paws For The Cause ABOUT FOX WILMINGTON WHAT’S ON FOX Meet Our Team Sales & Programming Job Openings CONTESTS Home Weather Local News National Sports ABOUT WSFX Meet Our Team Sales & Programming Job Openings WHAT’S ON FOX CONTACT HOME Local Weather Local Headlines National Headlines Sports Welcome Home Medically Speaking Paws For The Cause ABOUT FOX WILMINGTON WHAT’S ON FOX Meet Our Team Sales & Programming Job Openings CONTESTS Bluegrass Democrats make their choice to replace McConnell, take on Trump-backed Barr National Headlines Bluegrass Democrats make their choice to replace McConnell, take on Trump-backed Barr May 20, 2026 Bluegrass Democrats make their choice to replace McConnell, take on Trump-backed Barr May 20, 2026 close Video Rep. Barr vows to stop ‘radical left’ from defunding ICE, Border Patrol Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., discusses GOP primary races in Texas and Kentucky and the ongoing fight in Congress over DHS funding on ‘Fox News Sunday.’ NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Bluegrass State Democrats chose their challenger and hopeful successor to longtime Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Tuesday night. Charles Booker, a progressive former state representative who has squared off with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in the past, clinched the Democratic nomination for Senate in Kentucky, besting a crowded field of seven candidates. Booker will now face Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., who similarly dispatched a deep field of candidates, but was heavily spurred by a late endorsement from President Donald Trump. PRO-REPARATIONS PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT WHO WANTS ICE ABOLISHED MOUNTS LONGSHOT SENATE BID TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL Charles Booker spoke at the 25th annual Marshall County Democrats bean dinner before Fancy Farm in Lexington, Ky., on Aug. 5, 2022. (Silas Walker/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service/Getty Images) And Trump will be a predominant factor heading into the November contest. Though the president’s approval ratings are dismal across the country, Booker will still have to beat history if he wants to win out against Barr. That’s because Kentucky hasn’t had a Democratic senator since 1999, and Trump has consistently won in the state since launching his political career a decade ago. Still, Booker is familiar with the big stage, having won the Democratic nomination in 2022. He ultimately lost to Paul by over 20 points. Kentucky Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear’s win in 2023 does give Democrats some hope in the state that they can break the cycle of GOP domination. &#8216;NEW DEMOCRAT PARTY&#8217;: SENATE GOP SOUNDS OFF ON &#8216;EXTREME&#8217; GRAHAM PLATNER

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