Kentucky businessman Nate Morris enters Senate race, slams 'McConnell puppets'

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky native and entrepreneur Nate Morris entered the race for U.S. Senate, launching a campaign Monday with a promise to "clean up Washington" and a direct challenge to the state's Republican establishment.

Morris, 44, appeared in front of voters at his first campaign event in Shepherdsville. He was joined by Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit focused on promoting right-leaning ideology, and it's CEO, Charlie Kirk.

"I'm here because this isn't Mitch's seat," he told the packed crowd at Paroquet Springs Conference Center. "Everybody says this is Mitch's seat. Y'all heard people say that? You know what? It's your seat. It belongs to you."

Just days before, Morris announced his candidacy on Donald Trump Jr.'s "Triggered" podcast and released a video ad called "Garbage Day," which features Morris riding on the back of a trash truck and tossing out items labeled with the names of Mitch McConnell and his primary opponents.

Morris, a Kentucky native who grew up in Lexington, is best known as the founder of Rubicon Technologies, a waste and recycling startup that grew into a publicly traded company valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars. He stepped down as CEO in 2022 and now oversees Morris Industries, a Lexington-based holding company.

"This race is going to get really rough," he told the audience. "It's going to get really rough. I'm not a politician. I don't need the job. I've done very well. I don't need the money."

Morris is entering a crowded Republican primary field in a deep-red state where former President Donald Trump remains popular. Current U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron are also seeking the GOP nomination, and the race is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate contests of 2026.

"The bottom line is I'm the only candidate in this race who's actually delivering for President Trump's agenda," Barr told reporters in Washington after Morris' announcement last week. "These other candidates like to talk about it. They're fake MAGA."

Cameron also chimed in on the newcomer via a news release Monday. The former attorney general called on conservative activist, Kirk, to press Morris in the Q&A portion of the rally about Morris' claims that he's America first, pro-Trump, anti-woke and more.

"Nate Morris talks a big game about being an America First, pro-Trump, successful businessman and conservative outsider," the statement read. "Problem is, his record doesn't back any of that up. Today, when Nate makes an appearance on Charlie Kirk's show, hopefully he will provide some answers to these serious questions."

Col. Pamela Stevenson, a current Democratic state representative, is also running for the seat.

"The Republicans lining up to replace Mitch McConnell will vote exactly the same way he did," Morris said. "They were his interns. Now, they're his clones."

Barr, Cameron and Morris all served as interns for McConnell previously.

Morris' candidacy has already drawn scrutiny from some conservatives, who point to his past political donations — including contributions to Nikki Haley — and diversity initiatives at Rubicon as evidence of a more moderate track record. Morris has dismissed those criticisms and continued to do so Monday.

"(Barr and Cameron) are nothing but puppets for Mitch McConnell," Morris told the crowd. "Mitch McConnell has given both these guys everything they have on silver platters."

Morris is appealing to Republican voters who have grown frustrated with McConnell's leadership. On stage with Kirk, he called on the Republican Party of Kentucky to cancel plans to honor McConnell with a lifetime achievement award ahead of the party's Lincoln Day Dinner in August.

He also criticized a letter sent to Senate candidates who are invited. According to Morris, it asked them not to "speak ill of Republicans that are not running for office" — a line he believes is aimed at shielding McConnell from criticism.

"I am calling on the Republican Party of Kentucky to rescind the lifetime achievement award for Mitch McConnell," Morris said in front of the audience Monday. "I'm asking the other two guys in the race... to do the same thing. And if they won't, I want to hear why."

After the event, Morris and Kirk spoke with supporters, answered questions and took photos. The pair also chatted with reporters.

"Nate's an outsider," said Kirk, who is supporting Morris with his massive online presence. "Nate is someone who built a business. He's an entrepreneur, and he's not connected to the McConnell reign of this state."

The primaries are set for May of 2026, and until then, candidates will be vying for President Donald Trump's endorsement.

"I can never speak for the president," Morris told WDRB. "He does exactly what he wants to do when he wants to do it, but we're going to stand with him."

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