In the race to succeed U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and former Democratic state Rep. Charles Booker sounded off on a host of issues Monday evening in their only televised debate ahead of Election Day.
Throughout the debate, which was hosted by WKYT and carried by other Gray Media stations across the state, Barr repeatedly attempted to tie Booker to prominent democratic socialist figures while Booker argued that Barr would continue to be part of the “D.C. swamp” if elected to the Senate.
Barr criticized Booker for supporting what he called “crazy socialist ideas,” like Medicare for all, which Booker supports, and “defunding police,” which Booker denied. Barr called his opponent “the Mamdani of Kentucky,” referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who won election in 2025, has since become a democratic socialist boogeyman for Republicans this election cycle.
“Donald Trump seems to like Mamdani way more than he likes you,” Booker said near the end of the hour-long debate, after calling the tactic by Barr an attempt to “sow hate and fearmonger.” Before that, Booker said that he believed in capitalism, but “we simply need to make sure that it works for the people.”
Barr predicted it would be “very difficult” for Booker to work in a bipartisan manner in Washington as someone “who does embrace the views of socialism” at the end of the debate.
“Look, if he talks like a socialist, if he embraces views of socialists, if he taxes and spends like a socialist, he wants to pay people to not work like a socialist — he’s a socialist,” Barr said.
Booker said Barr has become “bought and sold” throughout his time in Congress and pointed to corporate PACs supporting him.
“I do not apologize for Americans freely supporting my campaign and freely supporting common sense,” Barr said in response. “They don’t want to be compelled to use their tax dollars to fund socialism.”
The debatewas moderated by WKYT’s Bill Bryant and DRB+WAVE’s Lindsay Allen. Here’s a look at some of the other issues discussed during the debate:
War in Iran
Trump’s war in Iran has become a theme in the upcoming midterm elections nationwide. Earlier this year, Kentuckians Tech Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt and Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, were killed in the conflict. The candidates were asked about what the exit strategy should look like and if the threat of Iran having a nuclear weapon had been accomplished.
“We owe it to them to finish the job and win,” Barr said, referring to Pruitt and Pennington. He continued, saying that because of Trump and military sacrifices, blows have been delivered to Iran’s military capabilities.
“We’ve largely achieved the objective. We have more work to do in the Strait of Hormuz, restoring oil exports,” Barr said. “But at the end of the day, I appreciate the fact that this president has not started a war. He is ending a 47-year war against the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism that has threatened the United States.”
Booker said “we need to bring our loved ones back home,” and argued that Barr “is in Congress right now signing a blank check to continue this madness.” In September, Barr had voted, along with most other Republicans in the U.S. House, against a war powers resolution to end the war in Iran.
“None of what he said rings with any sincerity because if he really believed that we need to stand up for our service members, he would do it now,” Booker said. “But no, he has said that the White House, this administration, should be able to do whatever they want in Iran without any checks and balances from Congress. I believe we need a Congress with a backbone to stand up.”
Affordability
Control of the Strait of Hormuz has frequently been tied to rising prices of fuel in the U.S., which also impacts the price of groceries and other goods. Barr and Booker received a few affordability questions at the start of the debate.
Asked what they would do to bring down the price of gas if elected, Barr said “we’re working on (lowering costs) and making a lot of progress” and blamed Democrats for rising inflation. Barr said he supported tax cuts to give Kentuckians more money in their pockets and that he would support “American energy dominance” to have more U.S. control over energy and fuel.
“My opponent supports the radical Green New Deal, which would dismantle fossil energy and skyrocket prices,” Barr said, referring to a policy aimed at transitioning to using clean energy amid global warming.
Booker questioned what Barr was doing to address the problem as a congressman.
“Those prices are going up under his watch. The price of groceries is going up under Andy Barr’s watch. The price of gas is going up under Andy Barr’s watch,” Booker said. “So one of the most important things we need to do to bring down costs is get Andy Barr out of office.”
AI and data centers
As communities across Kentucky and the country grapple with allowing data centers into their towns or not, many are questioning expanding the use of artificial intelligence in their daily lives as well. The candidates were asked if they supported guardrails for using AI while balancing America’s spot in the AI race with other nations.
“I understand the concerns, and Americans shouldn’t ever have artificial intelligence threaten their job,” Barr said, before adding that he also does not believe Kentuckians should pay higher utility bills if a data center moves into their town.
“We have to win the AI race because the country that wins the AI race is the country that will set the rules for AI. We are in a strategic competition with China. I believe in local control, American leadership on this, and we need to deter China from their technological ambitions, which do threaten us,” Barr said.
Booker said Barr was “getting paid by the telecom companies that want to put (data centers) in your backyard.” FEC reports show that a pro-AI super PAC, Leading the Future, has donated to another PAC, American Mission, which has spent money this year in support of Barr independently from his campaign. Booker also said he has called for a moratorium on building data centers.
“AI should be used as a strategic tool to help working people, not a weapon to exploit and hurt the people. And that’s why I believe Congress must act,” Booker said. “We must put protection in place for our children, for vulnerable communities, for our seniors, and standing up for the people against the way that data centers are being used to bully communities.”
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting in Kentucky begins Thursday, Oct. 29.
This article was originally published by the Kentucky Lantern.
