As the Kentucky Senate race heats up, donors and Republican operatives have been getting pitched on an unusual idea: a super PAC run by allies of two GOP competitors to take down another rival in the race.
Theoretically, the PAC’s purpose would be to oppose Kentucky businessman Nate Morris, which would benefit Rep. Andy Barr and former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron. (All three men are running for Senate.)
According to seven sources familiar with the matter, Barr and Cameron’s allies have discussed starting a super PAC to attack Morris. Donors, Senate GOP aides and operatives have all been pitched on the super PAC.
The sources said Jonathan Duke, who is currently involved with Cameron’s super PAC and has ties to Kentucky politics, is currently spearheading the idea. Duke’s firm, Deep Root Analytics, was a longtime vendor for the Senate Leadership Fund under McConnell, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
The talks about the super PAC have amplified over the past week, as Kentucky Republicans wrestle with how to deal with Morris, who has been surging with endorsements from Donald Trump Jr. and Charlie Kirk — a sign that he could be headed for the most important endorsement in the race: President Donald Trump.
One source close to Barr told NOTUS that Duke approached them about starting a super PAC together to go after Morris, but said no one had reached an agreement.
Despite Duke telling people this would be a joint venture between Barr and Cameron, the source said Barr’s team has no appetite to join forces with their opponent, noting that Barr already has a super PAC that is well-funded while Cameron’s is struggling to raise money.
Another source familiar with the effort told NOTUS that it all started when an activist in Kentucky reached out to Duke with the idea of starting a super PAC to hit Morris. Duke then had conversations with people, which the source described as “casual,” but insisted there are no plans to move forward with the super PAC.
“We’re not in the business of partnering with broke losers to take out woke liberals,” Tyler Staker, executive director of Keep America Great PAC, said in a statement. “This is laughable and completely false. Our America First operation has already raised over $2 million to help Andy Barr win this Senate race and there’s no signs of us slowing down anytime soon.”
According to FEC filings, Cameron’s super PAC, Kentucky First Action, only raised $15,000 in the first half of the year. Comparatively, Barr’s super PAC, Keep America Great PAC, raised $702,000 over the same time period.
“Any rumors that Kentucky First Action is looking to ‘team up’ with any opponents is unequivocally false. We’re laser focused on our mission, not beltway gossip,” Aaron Whitehead, a senior adviser for Kentucky First Action, said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Cameron’s campaign, Brandon Moody, said the joint PAC is not something the campaign “has knowledge of, sanctions, or supports” and said it’s “a spectacularly stupid idea.”
While no PAC has officially been formed yet — and Barr’s team is adamant they won’t be a part of it — the sources told NOTUS that Duke has been testing whether there is an appetite for it among donors. Additionally, Duke has told people they want to move quickly and start hitting Morris fast, one source said.
“It’s no secret that Barr and Cameron are two sides of the same McConnell coin, so this is just more evidence that the [Republican In Name Only] establishment is terrified of Nate’s outsider campaign to stand with President Trump and put America First,” Conor McGuinness, a spokesperson for Morris, said.
Duke did not respond to a request for comment.
People pitched on the PAC have been told it would seek out longtime donors to McConnell to help fund it, the sources said, believing that Morris’ anti-McConnell rhetoric would help generate more funds among that crowd.
“It’s going to be funded by Mitch donors,” one source close to Senate Republicans told NOTUS. “And they want to do it quickly, they’ve already started talking to donors.”
Morris has sought to make the race a referendum on McConnell, routinely calling out Barr and Cameron for their defense of the senator. The attacks have clearly resonated.
“It’s garbage day in Kentucky, and thanks to Mitch McConnell, things have gotten dirty. It’s time to dump career politicians and take out of the trash,” Morris said when announcing his candidacy.
Morris has also routinely attacked Barr and Cameron for their defense of McConnell. Earlier this month, the two came to McConnell’s defense in light of Morris’ attacks.
“Picking on an 83-year-old?” Cameron said.
“It’s undoubted that he built the Kentucky Republican Party, that’s why the name of the headquarters is the Mitch McConnell building!” Barr said.
Morris wasted no time jumping on them for the comments.
“Mitch McConnell betrayed President Trump after J6 and cheered on the law fare against him. He sold Kentucky out on amnesty for illegals, funding for Ukraine, gun control and Biden’s spending bill. His puppets Andy Barr and Daniel Cameron might be ok with that, but I’m not,” Morris said in a post on X.
Most recently, Morris attacked the two for standing and applauding McConnell during an event.