Political speculation is heating up in Kentucky after CNN commentator and former White House aide Scott Jennings hinted that he would consider running for the U.S. Senate in 2026 — but only if former President Donald Trump gave him the go-ahead.
Jennings made the remarks during an interview on Real America’s Voice with host Eric Bolling, where the discussion centered on who might succeed longtime Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell when he steps down. McConnell, who has represented Kentucky since 1985, is not expected to seek reelection, leaving a rare opening in one of the GOP’s most reliable strongholds.
“A lot of people are floating your name to take over, to jump into Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat next year in ’26. You thinking about it?” Bolling asked.
Jennings responded with measured humor: “Yeah, I haven’t made any announcements about that. There’s three people in the race, I know them all, like them all… I’m confident the seat will remain Republican.”
But he then delivered a comment that underscored the influence Trump continues to wield within the Republican Party. “I do think politics is a team sport, and I think Trump’s the head coach,” Jennings said. “Eventually he’s gonna weigh in on this, and my political advice would be to anybody—you know, if he calls a play, we’re gonna have to run it. I wouldn’t want to run against the president in Kentucky.”
When pressed by Bolling on whether he would enter the race if Trump “tapped” him, Jennings gave a cryptic reply: “I pay very close attention to everything the president says.”
His remarks fueled speculation that he may be positioning himself as a potential Trump-backed candidate, particularly as the former president looks to shape the post-McConnell Republican landscape in Congress. Trump’s relationship with McConnell has grown increasingly tense, and the 2026 race is widely viewed as a test of his enduring political power.
Currently, three candidates are vying for the Republican nomination: Congressman Andy Barr, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and businessman Nate Morris. All three have ties to the state’s GOP establishment — but their varying levels of loyalty to Trump could prove decisive.
Barr has faced renewed scrutiny after reports revealed his leadership PAC donated to several House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021. Though Barr himself opposed impeachment, he called Trump “irresponsible” after the January 6 Capitol attack, remarks that have since drawn skepticism from Trump’s allies.
Meanwhile, Morris’s record has also come under the microscope. His $5,000 donation to former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in 2021 — before she challenged Trump for the GOP nomination — has raised eyebrows among pro-Trump conservatives.
Cameron, a former protégé of McConnell and close Trump ally, is viewed by many as the frontrunner for a potential endorsement. He previously served as Kentucky’s Attorney General and ran for governor in 2023.
For now, Jennings has made no formal announcement, but his comments suggest a deep awareness of Trump’s decisive influence over Republican candidates nationwide. As Kentucky remains a stronghold for the former president — who won the state by over 30 points in 2020 — his endorsement is expected to all but determine the outcome of the GOP primary.
If Jennings does enter the race, he would bring with him years of experience as a political strategist, commentator, and former adviser to President George W. Bush. But one factor appears certain: any move he makes will depend heavily on whether Trump signals the green light.