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On Tuesday, April 22, Republican Andy Barr – a member of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky’s 6th District since 2013 – announced that he will be running for the seat of retiring Senator and former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in the 2026 Senate Elections. 

However, he was not the only politician to make an announcement regarding candidacy. 

Republican Ryan Dotson, a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from the 73rd District since 2021, announced his candidacy for Barr’s current seat when the 2026 midterm elections are held. 

Dotson – whose district represents Clark and a portion of Fayette County – made the announcement via Facebook video while standing outside of Holly Rood, also known as the Governor James A. Clark Mansion. 

“Today is the day I officially declare my candidacy for the U.S. Congressional District seat right here in central Kentucky,” Dotson said. “As Andy Barr moves on to go for [the] U.S. Senate, we are [going to] fight for that open congressional seat, and I want to take the fight that I have taken to Frankfort, Kentucky to Washington, D.C.” 

Dotson called on supporters – including friends, relatives, neighbors, and more – to assist in the race.

“We have a strong path to victory, but we’re going to have to work very hard to get there,” he said. “I’m sure it will be a crowded race, but I know that we can win this with the help of God.” 

In addition to Clark, Kentucky’s 6th District in the U.S. House of Representatives includes all or portions of Anderson, Bath, Bourbon, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Garrard, Jessamine, Madison, Mercer, Montgomery, Nicholas, Powell, Scott, and Woodford counties. 

Dotson concluded by stating that his public announcement would be the first of many posts. 

“I will come back with future videos talking about my platform [and] talking about the things that I feel…[need] to be done in the United States of America,” he said. “I am calling on all my friends to stand with me as we make this huge, major decision to move forward to run for [the] U.S. Congress.”