Barr secures 54.8 percent of Kentucky votes to take Senate seat

Andy Barr, a U.S. congressman from Kentucky, won Tuesday night's general election for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Mitch McConnell. The Associated Press declared the race for Barr over Charles Booker as of 10 p.m. Eastern Time. At that hour, Barr held 54.8 percent of the reported vote with 90.3 percent of precincts in.

Barr has served as a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee. He currently leads a subcommittee that oversees the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. His bid for the full committee chairmanship failed last year. That loss prompted him to launch his Senate campaign.

McConnell, who has held the seat since 1984, sent a message on social media to congratulate his successor. He stated that the confidence Kentuckians placed in their next Senator is well deserved. McConnell said he knows Barr's dedication to Kentucky firsthand from working alongside him in Congress. He expressed gratitude for his time in office and looked forward to a seamless transition to ensure the state continues to punch above its weight.

Booker is a former Kentucky state representative. He defeated six other Democratic candidates in the primary. That field included Amy McGrath, who had beaten Booker in the 2020 Democratic primary for this same seat. Dale Romans, a legendary horse trainer, also ran in the primary.

Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate race in Kentucky since 1992. Barr's win marks the first change in party control for this seat in over three decades.