2026.

Time now to go inside Kentucky politics and talk about the big story really of the week with our good friends, try Grayson and Bob Babbage.

Good to see you both.

The big news yesterday, of course, U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell announced he would not seek reelection in 2026, not a surprise, but some people were still caught off guard.

>> Yeah, not a surprise.

We anticipated this from the day that he announced he wasn't going to run for re-election as leader of the Republicans, U.S. Senate.

But he hadn't formally announced he wasn't running for reelection.

And as time went on, we got past the election last year in the first year, maybe this will be some are even in the fall.

But it does on his birthday.

Yeah.

What do you think, Bob?

Some thought it might be a little while longer, but it's good that he made a lot of reaction from all over the country.

>> And certainly across the state, what next always about the next race and certainly the next race.

Now for the next 15 months.

>> How consequential as Mitch McConnell been to Kentucky.

>> Tremendously consequential.

Everybody in our craft has a McConnell story.

Examples of how this has been so significant.

He cites 2 things as most significant as career.

In a recent conversation.

I was privileged to so on.

That's a back about was one that I was able to work on that from 20.

2002 to 2004, when the president signed that.

But Leita McCall throw by Neil Bradley had it was a tough, tough.

Achievements of 2 and a half billion dollar economic impact to Kentucky farmers.

He also for so unseen moments.

He's been very kind to people very helpful to people and so many ways and race so many alumni from Washington.

I'm joined by Rob as roads become the loves of that.

They were in charge.

All those folks got special knowledge, special insight into how to make government work and work.

Well.

But for investments in success, that's a part of the legacy and the reshaping of the judicial landscape.

Julio receiving a called the architect, the Republican Party.

You're in Kentucky.

The statement that I sent out one when he announced to, you know, I point out I love the for Frazee used to think it was 2008 reelection campaign had on those times.

>> Leadership that delivers.

And so all of the money and things that he brought back to come up.

Yes, shows driving from Frankfort and boarded on 64 drover for its pork and was reminded of the 30 million dollars we put out of the hat to help.

But with the Parkland students moved it back to me.

The judiciary little things like incredible constituent service of you needed some help with Social Security.

Didn't matter who you voted for.

His people didn't incredible job of go Navy helping you navigate the federal bureaucracy and then just sort of the Kentucky was becoming more conservative.

He was part of that movement and with the party.

It's an extraordinary last couple decades.

I mean, people like me storm number 20 plus years ago when I was running for the first time in office, he took an interest in May and are so many folks like that that he helped give them advice and encouragement and constructive criticism along the way.

And that's no accident that the Republican Party building.

It's called Mitch McConnell House because literally architect of the modern Republican Party.

That's going to be a big that's a big blast.

You really sit Henry Clay.

He's been the dominant figure that, you know, as United Center from Kentucky.

>> Yeah.

And help Kentucky punch above its weight many, many, many times for sure.

We have others who do that but not like this.

Yeah.

So many stories.

So many examples and the court consequential nature of his work of.

Teaching people how to make government work better and teaching us all how to run the process.

People would come to train army or someone else.

I'm sorry.

I can't recall just do this.

Will he?

Probably some it says could just do it.

But to do it right and do it effectively help people understand that pull people into the process.

Vets part of the McCollum magic that love to some of the successes.

>> I was I don't didn't count the amount of seconds it took after the end of his words about, I'm still here and I still got work to do that.

We got a tweet or posting on X by Daniel Cameron announcing his run for U.S. Senate.

Pretty quick turnaround there.

Yeah, yeah.

Maybe he had ahead.

So maybe he had a heads up so Ready to go, right?

Yeah.

So he jumped in the race immediately.

Andy Barr, without an official announcement, the numbers from from the 6 district here in central Kentucky for the central indicated that he's going to take a very strong is a little bit of hedging.

Yes, words, right.

Nate Morris, a businessman from here in Washington.

>> Nate again.

So it looks like a can see.

Looks like you've got one for sure to like Lee's.

We'll have a lot B, 2 senators and 500 bucks.

You can run for U.S.. Senate might have a dozen about that.

Those are the look to be the big 3.

Not my comments were going to have another major name enter the race of all those 3 enter the race.

Well, we can put it on the other side of the ledger at Democrat Pamela Stephenson.

She's reminding people >> that she's still here.

He's still here, right?

Yeah, yeah.

So pretty tough.

Yeah.

This will be settled in Republican primary.

Yeah.

And what about if Andy Barr were to run for U.S. Senate?

What happens to his 6th district congressional seat?

He's gonna take that.

>> Yeah.

Up the run.

One of the strongest names that I think is out there and I think she got in the race.

She went to be an excellent enemies.

But former Lexington Council member and just finishing up her first term and and the state Senate.

And, you know, I think a lot of people are encouraging her from around the country to run another name.

So I think would look at it on her decision.

Former Senator month Air Ryan calls Ryan Dotson is a state representative from just east of Lexington.

He has said he wants to run.

I Lockett who's run a couple times for that Took a representative from just might have been a little bit of a county.

I think he's interested in running.

So could be a pretty large field.

But I do think the bottom and it would be really tough candidate might discourage some of those others from getting in the race.

Yeah.

>> Any other names you want to drop their buck?

>> Oh, I'm sure you can find some more of that.

But so is going to be a strong game.

For starters, she's going attention from around the country for this but possible race if it were to.

Which are the way we think it's going to go.

>> What about Democrats to bay have anyone to put up and are there any names circulating there could be competitive to an but given Moos record in the district in a hearts how it shapes up.

Now that certainly favors Republican candidate in the race was all a lie for father was.

My father was on my best friends.

She was exceedingly well in Lexington on the council.

He's done very well as vice chair of appropriations.

A major assignment for a new member of the Senate.

And now a lot of focus on her for this district has been trending reading them on Franklin County was moved into the first.

It made it rather.

But that being said, what do we know about what happens?

The first election after a new president?

But president's party almost always loses seats.

So if the Democratic Party nationals looking to pick up seats an open seat that they used to hold as recently as 20.

>> Through the 2012 election.

But former congressman been shown this will be on the radar screen so they'll be.

Resource promises and a lot of recruiting outreach.

But again, that anyone who jumps and that raise that might deter a Democrat looking at it.

But I suspect that will be more competitive to me in the fall.

And then the Senate race now, it'll be interesting to see who Democrats can come up with a thirst deficit prospects that could be.

>> There were in for not just a good primary, but a good general, a good race all the way.

>> Well, that's what we want right?

Just about why that's what has been the talk about the about us.

That is all about