In a lively gathering in Louisville, Kentucky, Senate hopeful Daniel Cameron addressed a Republican crowd with an air of familiarity, likening the event to a family reunion. This warm comparison served as a nod to his established presence and influence within the state’s GOP circles.

Daniel Cameron, who previously held the position of state attorney general and was a gubernatorial candidate, is considered a significant figure in Kentucky’s Republican landscape. His reputation as a potential successor to U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell has long been a topic of political discourse. Despite this, Cameron faces a notable challenge: his campaign is grappling with modest fundraising efforts.

Although Cameron entered the Senate race ahead of his major GOP competitors, such as U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and businessman Nate Morris, he currently trails in campaign finances. This contest is part of a broader battle among a crowded field of candidates vying for McConnell’s soon-to-be-vacant seat in 2026.

During a summer Republican gathering in western Kentucky, Cameron appealed directly to the crowd, saying, “I ask for your help. We need volunteers. This is a grassroots campaign. Look, I’m not fueled by the establishment. I don’t have a lot of money in the bank account. But what I’ve always had is you all.”

Recent campaign finance disclosures confirmed Cameron’s financial constraints, revealing a stark contrast with Barr, who is capitalizing on this crucial fundraising phase. While money doesn’t cast votes, a lack of funds can certainly raise concerns about campaign viability.

Despite the financial hurdles, Cameron remains a strong contender due to his widespread recognition from previous statewide campaigns for governor and attorney general. The pressing question now is whether he can secure the necessary financial backing or if external political groups will step in to bridge the gap.

Cameron has yet to air a Senate campaign ad on TV, while Barr and Morris have filled the airwaves with early commercials.

Cameron’s sluggish fundraising drew ridicule from Barr, who had 10 times more campaign cash on hand than Cameron in the latest reports.

In a testy social media exchange Wednesday, Barr told Cameron: “You’re stagnant, have no money, and you already blew one statewide race” despite President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Cameron answered by pointing to a recent Barr campaign poll acknowledging that Cameron was ahead but claiming the congressman has the momentum. “Rep. Barr put out a poll that confirms what everyone already knows: I’m the front-runner,” Cameron said.

‘Never very good at fundraising’

Once seen as a rising GOP star, Cameron became Kentucky’s first Black attorney general and snagged a prominent speaking role to promote Trump at the 2020 GOP convention.

His reputation was dimmed by his loss in the 2023 governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Gov. Andy Beshear despite Trump’s backing in a state trending Republican. Cameron’s paltry fundraising numbers could reflect some of that tarnish, though raising money has never been his strong suit.

“Daniel’s never been very good at fundraising,” said former state Sen. Damon Thayer, a Barr supporter. “Fundraising in America, for better or for worse, is a key indicator of whether a candidate is going to be successful or not. It’s clear to me that major donors in Kentucky and across the country … just don’t want to put their money behind Daniel Cameron.”

Cameron has insisted he will have the resources to win. His campaign sees the early spending sprees by Barr and Morris as efforts to gain something Cameron already has — favorable name recognition.

“People here in Kentucky, you can’t buy an election,” Cameron told The Associated Press back in August. “They want to know you. They want to know your values.”

Barr raised $1.8 million in the July-through-September quarter, while Cameron brought in $411,000, their financial reports showed. Barr had nearly $6.7 million on hand at quarter’s end, compared to about $630,000 for Cameron. Barr had a built-in advantage: he was able to transfer money from his House campaigns into his Senate campaign. Still, he’s raised several million more in donations since entering the Senate race.

Morris raised $1 million in the recent quarter and tapped into his wealth to loan himself $3 million to jump-start his campaign. Morris ended the period with almost $1.1 million on hand but can augment that whenever he wishes. Morris has said he would spend “whatever it takes” to win.

Morris campaign spokesperson Conor McGuinness said Cameron doesn’t have the resources to compete.

Contending for Trump’s endorsement

The GOP hopefuls all have one thing in common — hopes of landing Trump’s endorsement. Trump overwhelmingly carried Kentucky in the last three presidential elections.

Cameron rose to prominence as a protégé of McConnell, having previously worked as the senator’s general counsel. But he sided with the president over his mentor at the outset of his Senate run, chastising McConnell for opposing a trio of Trump Cabinet nominees.

Cameron has long condemned diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. He says the country should be based on a “merit and opportunity society” that means “anything is possible for our kids and our grandkids.”

Barr, who represents a district stretching from central Kentucky to the Appalachian foothills, says he’s the one voting for Trump’s agenda in Congress.

Morris is running as a populist outsider willing to criticize McConnell in hopes of winning over Trump’s MAGA base. Morris staked out a hard line on immigration, supporting a moratorium on immigration into the United States until every immigrant in the country illegally is deported.

Democrats in the Senate race include retired Marine aviator Amy McGrath; Pamela Stevenson, a state lawmaker and former military judge advocate general; Logan Forsythe, an attorney and former U.S. Secret Service agent; and Joel Willett, a military veteran and former CIA officer. Kentucky hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since Wendell Ford in 1992.

Other candidates have until the early January filing deadline to enter the race.