Federal

U.S. Senator

Vote for: 1
Term: 6 years
Candidates: 3
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A U.S. senator votes on federal laws, confirms federal judges and cabinet members, and ratifies treaties; Kentucky elects two for six-year terms.

Open seat: U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell is not seeking reelection. Thomas Michael Murphy filed as a declared write-in candidate.

Candidates Compare by issue

Andy Barr

Republican

U.S. Representative · Lexington

The gist

Supports restarting border wall construction and ending catch and release.
Voted for the 2025 tax-cut law, the Big Beautiful Bill.
Opposes transgender athletes competing in girls' sports.
Proposes restarting coal plants that were shut down by regulation.
Supports faster permits for power plants and transmission lines.
Supports expanding veterans' access to non-VA health care.
Co-led a House-passed bill barring banks from tracking gun purchases.In office
Introduced a bill setting federal rules for hemp products.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Andy

View sources (4)

Supports restarting border wall construction and ending catch and release.
Issues: Andy Believes...
Campaign website · Andy Barr for Senate · barrforsenate.com
“Restarting border wall construction … Ending catch and release”
Voted for the 2025 tax-cut law, the Big Beautiful Bill.
Issues: Andy Believes...
Campaign website · Andy Barr for Senate · barrforsenate.com
“In 2025, he voted for the largest tax cut in American history, the Big Beautiful Bill.”
Opposes transgender athletes competing in girls' sports.
Issues: Andy Believes...
Campaign website · Andy Barr for Senate · barrforsenate.com
“He's leading the Defend Girls' Athletics Act that cuts off federal funding to any school or university that refuses to uphold the ban”
Proposes restarting coal plants that were shut down by regulation.
Andy Barr's Plan to Revive Coal Jobs and Power the Technologies of the Future
Campaign website · Andy Barr for Senate · barrforsenate.com
“Restarting existing coal plants that were shut down by regulation … Protect reliable power plants from being shut down without considering grid reliability”
Supports faster permits for power plants and transmission lines.
Andy Barr's Plan to Revive Coal Jobs and Power the Technologies of the Future
Campaign website · Andy Barr for Senate · barrforsenate.com
“Speed up permits for power plants, transmission lines, and energy infrastructure”
Supports expanding veterans' access to non-VA health care.
Issues: Andy Believes...
Campaign website · Andy Barr for Senate · barrforsenate.com
“Andy ushered through Congress legislation giving veterans more access to non-VA provided healthcare options.”
Co-led a House-passed bill barring banks from tracking gun purchases.
House Passes Barr-Led Bill Protecting Second Amendment Privacy
Public statement · Office of U.S. Rep. Andy Barr · Jul 14, 2026 · barr.house.gov
“prohibits financial institutions from using a new Merchant Category Code (MCC) to track purchases of firearms and ammunition”
Introduced a bill setting federal rules for hemp products.
Barr Introduces Lawful Hemp Protection Act to Protect Kentucky Farmers, Consumers, and the Future of the Hemp Industry
Public statement · Office of U.S. Rep. Andy Barr · Jul 22, 2026 · barr.house.gov
“introduced the Lawful Hemp Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to establish the first comprehensive federal regulatory framework for hemp-derived consumer products”

Charles Booker

Democratic

Louisville

The gist

Supports Medicare for All.
Proposes a $45,000-a-year minimum wage with paid sick leave.
Supports a wealth tax and taxing capital gains like wages.
Supports pausing data center construction until regulations are in place.
Proposes a federal bureau to protect workers from AI displacement.
Supports federal rent stabilization and more affordable housing.
Supports universal basic income and universal child care.
Supports restoring abortion rights and repealing the Hyde Amendment.

More about Charles

View sources (2)

Supports Medicare for All.
Issues: Charles Booker for U.S. Senate 2026 (Internet Archive copy of charlesbooker.org/issues, May 20, 2026)
Campaign website · Booker for the Commonwealth · web.archive.org
“Charles supports Medicare for All to create a healthcare system that provides quality, affordable healthcare to everyone.”
Former State Rep. Charles Booker to run again for US Senate
News coverage · Spectrum News 1 Kentucky · Dec 3, 2025 · spectrumnews1.com
“his platform includes Medicare for all, universal child care, affordable housing and lowering utility bills”
Proposes a $45,000-a-year minimum wage with paid sick leave.
Issues: Charles Booker for U.S. Senate 2026 (Internet Archive copy of charlesbooker.org/issues, May 20, 2026)
Campaign website · Booker for the Commonwealth · web.archive.org
“If you work 40 hours a week, you should be guaranteed a minimum 40 hours of paid sick leave and a minimum wage of $45,000/year.”
Supports a wealth tax and taxing capital gains like wages.
Issues: Charles Booker for U.S. Senate 2026 (Internet Archive copy of charlesbooker.org/issues, May 20, 2026)
Campaign website · Booker for the Commonwealth · web.archive.org
“Charles pairs it with support for a wealth tax … support legislation that equalizes the tax rates for capital gains and eliminates the loopholes”
Supports pausing data center construction until regulations are in place.
Issues: Charles Booker for U.S. Senate 2026 (Internet Archive copy of charlesbooker.org/issues, May 20, 2026)
Campaign website · Booker for the Commonwealth · web.archive.org
“Charles has called for a moratorium on building data centers until regulations can be put in place to protect the environment”
Proposes a federal bureau to protect workers from AI displacement.
Issues: Charles Booker for U.S. Senate 2026 (Internet Archive copy of charlesbooker.org/issues, May 20, 2026)
Campaign website · Booker for the Commonwealth · web.archive.org
“the centerpiece of this plan is to call for a new federal enforcement agency: The Human Labor Protection Bureau (HLPB).”
Supports federal rent stabilization and more affordable housing.
Issues: Charles Booker for U.S. Senate 2026 (Internet Archive copy of charlesbooker.org/issues, May 20, 2026)
Campaign website · Booker for the Commonwealth · web.archive.org
“We will build more affordable housing, implement federal rent stabilization, strengthen tenant protections like just-cause eviction and the right to counsel”
Supports universal basic income and universal child care.
Issues: Charles Booker for U.S. Senate 2026 (Internet Archive copy of charlesbooker.org/issues, May 20, 2026)
Campaign website · Booker for the Commonwealth · web.archive.org
“We will pass a universal basic income so every American has the financial security and freedom to build their future. … We will pass universal childcare so the security of knowing your children are taken care of while you work”
Supports restoring abortion rights and repealing the Hyde Amendment.
Issues: Charles Booker for U.S. Senate 2026 (Internet Archive copy of charlesbooker.org/issues, May 20, 2026)
Campaign website · Booker for the Commonwealth · web.archive.org
“He will work to restore abortion rights, repeal the Hyde amendment”

Christopher Campbell

Kentucky Party

The gist

Supports Medicare for All.
Supports unions and workers' right to raise grievances safely.
Proposes a constitutional "green" amendment guaranteeing a healthy environment.
Proposes cutting defense spending to near 1% of GDP.
Proposes constitutional term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court.
Proposes abolishing the Electoral College and adopting ranked-choice voting.
Supports reproductive rights as a constitutional right.
Proposes a constitutional amendment ending corporate personhood.

More about Christopher

View sources (1)

Supports Medicare for All.
Christopher Campbell, Kentucky Party Candidate for U.S. Senate: The Platform
Campaign website · Christopher Campbell for Senate · campbellforsenate.org
“In the long run, a Medicare For All plan will save U.S. taxpayers several trillions of dollars”
Supports unions and workers' right to raise grievances safely.
Christopher Campbell, Kentucky Party Candidate for U.S. Senate: The Platform
Campaign website · Christopher Campbell for Senate · campbellforsenate.org
“Pro-Labor, Pro-Union … those workers must have a means to address grievances without fear of retaliation or retribution”
Proposes a constitutional "green" amendment guaranteeing a healthy environment.
Christopher Campbell, Kentucky Party Candidate for U.S. Senate: The Platform
Campaign website · Christopher Campbell for Senate · campbellforsenate.org
“I will push for a Constitutional "Green" Amendment that clarifies that the U.S. Government has a duty to insure a safe, healthy environment … eliminate the ability of companies to purchase Carbon Credits”
Proposes cutting defense spending to near 1% of GDP.
Christopher Campbell, Kentucky Party Candidate for U.S. Senate: The Platform
Campaign website · Christopher Campbell for Senate · campbellforsenate.org
“My goal would be to get Defense Spending as close to 1% of GDP as possible … Push for the immediate moratorium on all military aide (money, weapons, personnel) to foreign governments.”
Proposes constitutional term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court.
Christopher Campbell, Kentucky Party Candidate for U.S. Senate: The Platform
Campaign website · Christopher Campbell for Senate · campbellforsenate.org
“I will push for a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on the other two Branches of Government”
Proposes abolishing the Electoral College and adopting ranked-choice voting.
Christopher Campbell, Kentucky Party Candidate for U.S. Senate: The Platform
Campaign website · Christopher Campbell for Senate · campbellforsenate.org
“Abolishing the Electoral College … Ranked-Choice Voting”
Supports reproductive rights as a constitutional right.
Christopher Campbell, Kentucky Party Candidate for U.S. Senate: The Platform
Campaign website · Christopher Campbell for Senate · campbellforsenate.org
“I believe this to be a Constitutionally protected right, via the 4th, 9th, 10th, and 14th Amendments. … Reproductive Care is Health Care and no American citizen should be deprived of it.”
Proposes a constitutional amendment ending corporate personhood.
Christopher Campbell, Kentucky Party Candidate for U.S. Senate: The Platform
Campaign website · Christopher Campbell for Senate · campbellforsenate.org
“I will propose a Constitutional Amendment that clarifies that rights and liberties (enumerated and unenumerated) are reserved for individual persons”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 9 issues covered in this race.