By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 — U.S. Rep. Andy Barr rose to the top of the field in Tuesday’s Primary election featuring 11 candidates seeking the GOP nomination to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell in the U.S.
Barr carried Nelson County with 45 percent of the vote. Statewide, he received 60 percent of the vote in the Republican primary. Daniel Cameron, who had campaigned hard against Barr, was closely behind Barr in Nelson County with 42 percent of the vote.
By the end of election night, Cameron ended election night with 31 percent of the statewide vote.
In the Democratic primary, Nelson County voters chose Amy McGrath, who received 43 percent of the votes in Nelson County, with Charles Booker closely behind.
Barr, whose campaign received an endorsement from President Donald Trump, will face off against Charles Booker, the winner of the Democratic primary. Booker earned 47 percent of the vote in a seven-way race. Amy McGrath received 36 percent of the statewide votes cast in the race.
SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie handily dispatched his competitors with 85 percent of the vote in Nelson County.
Guthrie will face Democrat Megan Wingfield in the November general election.
FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie — who was targeted in this selection by President Donald Trump for failing to support all of Trump’s policy initiatives — suffered a 10-point loss to Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein. Political observers report the Massie-Gallrein race has been one of the most expensive races in recent political history.
Gallrein will face the winner of the Democratic primary, Melissa Strange, who won a landslide victory in her race.
-30-