CNN contributor and diehard Republican Scott Jennings is now being encouraged by some of his closest friends and allies to consider running for Sen. Mitch McConnell’s seat in 2026. McConnell, a Kentucky member of the GOP announced this month he would be retiring at the end of his current term.
McConnell currently serves as the Senate Majority Leader, a critical position in the upper chamber of Congress.
Those close to Jennings recently spoke with Fox News, saying the combative and hard hitting conservative has not ruled out the possibility of a bid for the Senate. Allies in the media world have shared how excited they are at the idea of Jennings potentially being a senator.
“Could I nominate [Scott Jennings] for the United States Senate from the Commonwealth of Kentucky? He’d be a hell of a McConnell replacement,” conservative writer Erick Erickson said in a post on X.
“I would absolutely support my friend [Scott Jennings] for U.S. Senate. But he’d also make a fine governor for the great state of Kentucky as well,” Republican strategist Dustin Grage said.
During the announcement concerning his retirement, McConnell — who has been serving in the Senate since 1985 — took a moment to look back on his accomplishments, which includes installing six out of the nine individuals currently sitting on the bench of the Supreme Court, along with a majority of GOP appointees to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
“Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell went on to write. “Every day in between, I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”
“Deep-red Kentucky is about the friendliest territory Republicans can hope for when fighting to keep a seat, and the fertile electoral ground has already drawn interest. Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has jumped into the race while GOP Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) is said to be mulling a bid,” Trending Politics News reported.
“Cook Political Report rates 2026 as a perilous cycle for Democrats and predicts the GOP to keep or build on its 53-seat majority. The opposition party is losing Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) to retirement, while freshman Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) is rated the most vulnerable incumbent of the cycle. On the other side, endangered Republican incumbents like Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) have demonstrated an outmatched ability to win multiple terms when facing off against well-funded challengers,” the article said.
One of the big benefits for Jennings should he decide to run is name recognition thanks to his work as a contributor on CNN. He’s a viral video magnet, creating numerous clips where he just rubs liberal nerves raw, all the while maintaining a smile.
The fact he just keeps coming back to the network says a lot about how the producers feel about his presence on their programs. Clearly, Jennings brings in viewers.
We’ll have to wait until much later in the year to find out if Jennings will be making a bid for McConnell’s seat.
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