WASHINGTON — GOP Rep. Andy Barr is leading the money race in the closely watched 2026 Kentucky Senate primary — but challenger Nate Morris picked up his fundraising pace in the second half of 2025, according to initial figures shared exclusively with The Post.

Barr, Morris, and former Bluegrass State Attorney General Daniel Cameron are in a three-way contest for the Republican nomination to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Morris recorded at least $2 million — with most of that being self-funded — during the fourth quarter, while Barr raked in almost $1.4 million in contributions over the same period.

Barr topped Morris in cash on hand with more than $6.42 million amassed so far, while the garbage removal entrepreneur touted a $1.5 million war chest.

Cameron’s campaign didn’t immediately disclose its fundraising figures.

As of Sept. 30, Barr had $6.6 million in cash on hand, Morris had just more than $1 million available, and Cameron had a war chest of just $629,748.

The Morris Industries CEO bested Barr in total campaign receipts though not direct contributions during the third quarter, with his campaign taking in more than $4 million.

Morris’ third- and fourth-quarter fundraising figures were given a boost by multimillion-dollar personal loans the businessman gave to his campaign of roughly $3 million and $1.4 million, respectively.

McConnell, 83, stepped down as Senate GOP leader after the 2024 election and announced he would not seek re-election the following February.

The longest-serving leader of any party in the upper chamber had suffered painful falls — one of which left him concussed and with a minor rib fracture — and awkward freeze-ups in recent years.

President Trump’s return to the White House also laid bare divisions between the two that peaked after the 2020 election, which the 45th commander-in-chief claimed had been stolen from him, and McConnell denied.

Morris, in a video ad for his campaign, laid into the Republican senator for having “trashed Trump” and claimed Cameron and Barr were waiting in the wings as McConnell’s “puppets.”

Barr has been pushing back at the characterization by racking up endorsements from staunch Trump allies — including former White House physician and Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).

The Morris campaign has celebrated endorsements from Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) as well as the late conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Spokesman Conor McGuinness added in a statement referencing a Post report that Barr “not only blamed President Trump for the [Capitol riot] violence on January 6th [2021], he actually turned around and personally funded the members of Congress who voted to impeach him.”

Barr’s campaign has been touting that he is the best candidate to defeat Democratic frontrunner Charles Booker, though any Republican candidate would likely win a state Trump carried by more than 30 percentage points last November.

According to a recent Public Policy Polling survey, Barr would defeat Booker by 11 percentage points, 49% to 38%, if the 2026 election were held today.

Cameron would have a seven-percentage-point advantage, 46% to 39%, and Morris would have a one-percentage-point advantage, 41% to 40%.

The survey only gave the president a six-percentage-point, net-positive approval rating.

“Andy Barr is the strongest candidate in this race. He is dominating with grassroots support, building resources, earning major endorsements, and is the only campaign growing in the polls,” Blake Gober, Campaign Manager for Barr for Senate, said in a statement.

“He is the only candidate who can take this seat off the map and is the best candidate to continue helping President Trump Make America Great Again.”

McGuinness responded: “Only Nate Morris will stand with President Trump 100%, and that’s why he will be victorious in May.”

Trump has yet to make an endorsement in the primary, which will be held on May 19.