Former President Donald Trump is reportedly seeking to replace longtime Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell with a more loyal ally. However, concerns have surfaced within Trump’s inner circle about one frontrunner’s past political donations. Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), a seven-term congressman, is under fire for having supported, through his leadership PAC, several House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021 following the January 6 Capitol riot.

While Barr personally voted against impeachment, he described Trump’s behavior as “irresponsible” and “not blameless” after the events of January 6. His PAC later made multiple donations to Reps. Anthony Gonzalez, John Katko, David Valadao, and Jaime Herrera Beutler—all of whom voted to impeach Trump. Only Valadao still holds office. Trump loyalists argue that these contributions undermine the former president’s loyalty-focused political strategy.

Barr is currently competing in a three-way race to succeed McConnell in the Senate. His primary opponents include Daniel Cameron, Kentucky’s former attorney general, and Nate Morris, a waste management entrepreneur. With Trump having won Kentucky by more than 30 points in 2020, his endorsement is likely to carry significant weight in the 2026 GOP primary.

Supporters of Barr claim he has been a consistent ally to Trump, pointing out that his leadership PAC has distributed funds to a wide range of Republican candidates. Barr’s spokesman also criticized Morris for donating to Nikki Haley, Trump’s 2024 primary rival, and labeled Cameron’s recent gubernatorial loss as evidence of weak electability.

Ultimately, loyalty is expected to play a central role in Trump’s decision. Barr’s critics hope his controversial donations will disqualify him from earning the former president’s support.