PIKEVILLE, KY — Senator Russell “Rusty” Hampton released the following statement after the results of Kentucky’s September 2026 Republican Senate primary:

“Tonight, the voters of Kentucky made their choice, and I respect that choice. I called Justin Harris to congratulate him on his victory and to wish him, Kristina, and their family well in the campaign ahead.

Serving Kentucky in the United States Senate has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I entered public service because I believed the people and communities that raised me deserved a strong voice, from the coal towns of Eastern Kentucky to Louisville and every community in between. That belief has never changed.

Justin and I come from different generations and have traveled different paths, but we share a love for this Commonwealth. A campaign can make opponents of us for a season, but we remain fellow Kentuckians. I hope he carries that responsibility with humility and never forgets the people who have entrusted him with it.

To everyone who voted for me, volunteered, donated, put up a sign, attended an event, or simply offered a handshake and a kind word over the years: thank you. To my staff and family, no words can adequately express my gratitude for the sacrifices you made so I could serve.

There is still work ahead. I remain Kentucky’s Senator until my term concludes, and I intend to fulfill that responsibility with the same determination I brought to it on my first day. Public service was never supposed to be about holding an office forever. Eventually, the torch passes.

Tonight, Kentucky Republicans decided it was time for me to pass that torch. I do so with gratitude for the trust Kentucky placed in me and with profound pride in the Commonwealth I have been privileged to represent.”