Club for Growth PAC Hits Andy Barr as 'Amnesty Andy' in Kentucky Senate Primary
Axios reports that a Club for Growth–aligned super PAC, Win It Back, has launched a sharply negative TV ad campaign branding Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) 'Amnesty Andy' and 'illegal aliens' best amigo' in the Republican primary to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell. In under a week, the PAC has spent nearly $750,000 on the spot across multiple Kentucky media markets, while also airing messages tying Barr to McConnell as someone 'groomed' by the former GOP leader. Barr responded that he has 'never' and will 'never support amnesty,' arguing the group is attacking him for voting to back President Trump’s border-security agenda and promoting his own 'Cheers to ICE' ad touting his support for expanding immigration enforcement. The race, in which former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron and businessman Nate Morris are also major contenders, is considered safely Republican but is quickly becoming one of the cycle’s nastiest intra-party fights over immigration purity. The stakes are national, with Elon Musk having already written a $10 million check to support Morris, underscoring how billionaire donors and outside groups are battling to shape the post-McConnell GOP in the Senate.
📌 Key Facts
- Win It Back PAC, aligned with Club for Growth, released a TV ad labeling Rep. Andy Barr 'Amnesty Andy' and 'illegal aliens' best amigo'.
- The super PAC spent nearly $750,000 on the ad in less than a week, airing it in Lexington, Evansville, Louisville and Bowling Green.
- Barr publicly rejected the charge, saying he has never supported amnesty and highlighting his record of backing Trump’s border wall and ICE expansion.
- The fight is part of a heated Republican primary to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell, with Daniel Cameron and Nate Morris also in the race.
- Elon Musk has contributed $10 million to support Nate Morris, his largest single donation to a Senate candidate to date.
📊 Relevant Data
The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act abolished national origins quotas, shifting immigration sources from predominantly European to more diverse regions, increasing the U.S. foreign-born population from about 5% in 1965 to 15.4% (51.9 million people) in 2025.
Key findings about U.S. immigrants — Pew Research Center
Kentucky's population grew by more than 100,000 residents from 2020 to 2025, primarily due to international immigration, as deaths exceeded births during this period.
Census: Kentucky gained population 2020-2025. The reason: immigration — WEKU
Approximately 2 million undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children (DREAMers) could be eligible for a pathway to legal status under proposed legislation similar to what Barr has supported.
American Dream and Promise Act of 2021: Who Is Potentially Eligible? — Migration Policy Institute
Immigrant workers and business owners in Kentucky generate $14 billion in economic output, contributing to various sectors including low-wage and high-wage jobs.
Immigrants Are a Vital Part of Kentucky Communities — Kentucky Center for Economic Policy
In 2018, Andy Barr stated: 'What we need in immigration reform is a pathway to legal status for those who have not committed a crime... We do need to fix that situation for young people who are undocumented, who were brought to this country through no fault of their own.'
Amnesty Andy Barr in his own words — X (formerly Twitter) - Nate Morris
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