Trump reshapes Kentucky Senate race to replace Mitch McConnell with endorsement, job offer
By Jeff Zeleny, Kit Maher, CNN
(CNN) — President Donald Trump sought to reshape the Kentucky Senate race on Friday to fill the seat of Sen. Mitch McConnell, delivering an endorsement of Rep. Andy Barr moments after offering a rival candidate an ambassadorship as an enticement to leave the race.
The president offered his endorsement of Barr after announcing that he had asked Nate Morris, an ally of Vice President JD Vance, to step aside and join the Trump administration. The Republican candidates are vying to fill the seat of McConnell, who is retiring after more than four decades. McConnell helped shepherd Trump’s first term agenda, including the approval of three Supreme Court nominees, but has since clashed with Trump and has not played a central role in the Kentucky race to replace him.
“I’ve asked Nate to step aside from that Race to take a role in my Administration as an Ambassador,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday night moments before endorsing Barr, whom he called “the only Candidate who will easily defeat the Democrat in what will be one of the most important Elections in American History.”
While Trump’s announcements on Friday night involved the Senate race, the White House has kept an even closer watch on a key House primary unfolding in Kentucky.
Trump visited the state in March to personally campaign against a Republican incumbent, Rep. Thomas Massie. Trump has labeled Massie “a moron” and a “disgrace” for often going against the grain of the party on spending bills and other issues, including pushing for the release of the Justice Department’s Jeffrey Epstein files.
Massie is locked in a close GOP primary with Ed Gallrein, whom Trump helped recruit into the race and endorse. But Massie is campaigning aggressively ahead of the May 19 primary, creating concern among some White House advisers that Trump could be embarrassed if Gallrein does not prevail.
The decision Friday to suddenly weigh in on the Senate race, by endorsing Barr and offering Morris an ambassadorship, underscored how important a Kentucky win has become for Trump.
A Republican strategist with longtime ties to Kentucky races told CNN the maneuvering in the Senate race was done with the Massie contest in mind.
The president’s actions came suddenly, with Morris, Barr and a third candidate, Daniel Cameron, actively campaigning for the May 19 primary.
Morris said Friday night he was proud to join the Trump administration “representing Kentucky and America on the global stage” but did not specify what exact role he would be taking.
“When President Trump asks you to serve your nation, you answer the call,” Morris wrote on X.
This is not the first time Trump has attempted to reshape a key race by offering a candidate a job in his administration. In March, Trump announced on Truth Social that he asked Hope Scheppelman, someone he had already endorsed for Colorado’s 3rd District, to step aside and make way for GOP Rep. Jeff Hurd. In exchange, he said he would be announcing roles for Scheppelman and her husband in the administration. It’s not yet clear what roles they will be taking on.
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