LOUISVILLE, KY – Following Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) announcement last week that he will not seek reelection in 2026, allies of conservative CNN personality Scott Jennings are privately encouraging him to consider running for the vacant Senate seat. McConnell’s decision brings an end to his nearly five-decade career in elected office and his record-breaking tenure as the longest-serving leader of a party’s Senate caucus in U.S. history.
Sources close to Jennings indicate that the outspoken commentator has not ruled out a potential Senate bid, and his media supporters are already expressing enthusiasm for his possible candidacy. Conservative writer Erick Erickson took to X, stating, “Could I nominate [Scott Jennings] for the United States Senate from the Commonwealth of Kentucky? He’d be a hell of a McConnell replacement.” Republican strategist Dustin Grage echoed this sentiment, posting, “I would absolutely support my friend [Scott Jennings] for U.S. Senate. But he’d also make a fine governor for the great state of Kentucky as well.”
In his retirement statement, Sen. McConnell, first elected in 1985, reflected on his legacy, which includes securing the appointments of six of the nine Supreme Court justices and a majority of Republican appointees to the U.S. Courts of Appeals, said the USA Journal.
“Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell wrote, according to the NY Post. “Every day in between, I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”
Kentucky, a deep-red state, presents a favorable landscape for Republicans aiming to retain McConnell’s seat. The competitive electoral environment has already sparked interest among potential candidates, with former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announcing his candidacy and GOP Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) reportedly considering a run. As the 2026 election approaches, Jennings’ potential entry into the race could further shake up the Republican primary field vying to replace the long-serving Senate leader.
Scott Jennings gained more popularity with the Conservative audience leading up to the 2024 election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Jennings went on record saying that more people trusted Donald Trump to fix then economy than they did Joe Biden or Kamala Harris.
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