Lexington business owner still considering run for US Senate
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — The chairman and CEO of a Lexington-based company continues to hint at a run for the Senate.
Shortly after Sen. Mitch McConnell announced he wouldn't be seeking to refill his seat in 2026, Kentucky Republicans started to circle.
Researchers say a dangerous drug-cutting agent was detected in Kentucky
Lexington business owner still considering run for US Senate
3 killed in Louisville drivers license branch shooting: 'No suspects'
As of Thursday, two Republicans are hoping they can keep the seat red. Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced his run, and Rep. Andy Barr hinted at a possible run.
But Lexington business owner Nate Morris, of Morris Industries, went to X, formerly Twitter, to chastise both Cameron and Barr, calling them Mitch McConnell puppets from the Conservative Political Action Conference floor.
'The most important question in the Kentucky Senate race: Are we going to elect another Mitch McConnell puppet who will betray President Trump? Or are we going to elect an America First outsider who will break McConnell's control of this seat? It's time to take out the trash,' he wrote.
Earlier in February, he addressed the rumors of him running for Senate, saying he was strongly considering it. He also criticized Kentucky Republicans interested in the seat for appearing to refuse to run against McConnell.
'If I decide to run for the Senate or governor, it won't be because Mitch McConnell gave me permission. It's going to be because I believe Kentucky is worth fighting for and it's time for some America First leadership with a backbone in our Commonwealth,' Morris said.
Lexington ranked 10th worst large city for football fans: WalletHub
Kentucky receives failing grades in tobacco control report
Kentucky ranks as 2025's worst state to retire in: WalletHub
While Morris still hasn't confirmed his candidacy, he said he's inspired by 'true outsiders' like President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance and supports the 'America first' agenda.
'I think President Trump needs less of these weak career politicians running for office and more outside businessmen who are going to fight for his America First agenda,' the business owner said.
Morris is a Lexington business owner from Louisville, but his family hails from Morgan County.
He has a bachelor's in political science from George Washington University and a master's in business administration from the University of Oxford.
After founding Rubicon, Morris served as its CEO for over 12 years before leaving and serving as chairman and CEO of Morris Industries, a private conglomerate in Lexington.
According to the Morris Industries website, the conglomerate currently holds 8VC, Republic Financial, Rubicon Technologies, and Strive Enterprises.
Morris also founded and manages the Morris Foundation. The organization works to promote access to the American dream to Kentuckians, according to the website. The foundation has partnered with at least 14 groups and nonprofits.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
27 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
South Korea's dental tech firm Medit sued in U.S. federal court
June 27 (UPI) -- South Korea's three-dimensional dental scanner maker Medit is facing a lawsuit filed by an Israeli company in a U.S. federal court for alleged patent violations. According to court documents filed this month in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, Densys accused Medit of infringing on two of its core U.S. patents related to intraoral scanning. The lawsuit alleges that Medit's line of scanners and associated software incorporate patented technology of Densys without authorization. "Medit knowingly developed, has sold, sells, and offers to sell the accused product(s) in an infringing manner that was known to Medit or was so obvious that it should have been known to Medit," Densys claimed in the complaint. Seeking a jury trial, Densys is demanding damages, an injunction, and enhanced penalties for what it argues is willful infringement. Founded in 2000, Densys is a dental technology company. It specializes in intraoral 3D scanning systems, which are used to create real-time digital impressions of a patient's mouth. MBK Partners, one of the largest private equity companies in Asia, channeled $1.8 billion in early 2023 to purchase Medit, the world's third-largest 3D dental scanner manufacturer. Thereafter, Medit struggled in both the top and bottom lines. The Seoul-based corporation logged $203 million in turnover in 2022, up 44.07% from the previous year, for $84 million in net profit, up 38.18% year-on-year. Under the ownership of MBK, however, its sales more than halved to $93 million in 2023 and the firm turned to a loss of $20 million. In 2024, Medit recorded sales of $105 million and netted a deficit of $17 million. Comments from Medit were not available. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Business Insider
28 minutes ago
- Business Insider
A retired woman living month-to-month on disability says one of her biggest financial regrets was being too generous
Anita Clemons Swanagan was forced into early retirement at 55 after developing a brain tumor and having several strokes. The medical bills piled up for the expenses that her health insurance would not cover. At one point, she had over $100,000 in medical debt. She said she'd paid most of it off, but doing so drained most of her savings. "Right now, I live totally on what I receive from disability," Swanagan said at the time of her interview with Business Insider in late 2024, adding, "I wouldn't consider myself financially stable." Are you an older American comfortable sharing your retirement outlook with a reporter? Please fill out this quick form. We are especially interested in hearing from people 80 and older. Swanagan said that one of her financial regrets is giving too much money to friends in need when she was younger and not saving more for herself. "It's OK to care about people," she said, adding, "However, you have to look at what it is costing you mentally and financially. You only have so many years to prepare for retirement." Swanagan is one of many in the US whose retirement was derailed by a medical crisis. Dozens of people between 48 and 96 who have emailed reporters or responded to surveys about their biggest life regrets told BI their stories about not factoring medical expenses into retirement planning or prioritizing routine medical appointments. She regrets not asking for more money After getting divorced, Swanagan raised her three children on a single salary as a solo parent, but never took government assistance before retirement. She believed being financially self-resilient set the right example for her children to become productive members of society. However, that meant she constantly worked long hours and juggled multiple jobs to support her family. She spent 15 years as a correctional officer in Texas, Kansas, Washington, and Illinois. She also worked in hospitals, worked side gigs on farms, and provided in-home care for Alzheimer's patients. Looking back, she regrets some of her decisions. "There were times I worked for less than I was worth," she said, adding, "I never demanded more money or moved on to where I was appreciated. My salary hovered around $50,000." She wishes she'd saved more for the future Despite tight finances, Swanagan said she always helped coworkers and friends who were going through hard times. It was "never more than a couple hundred dollars," she said, "but it adds up." She said helping people is important, but your future self is someone worth helping, too. If she could go back in time, she said she would tell her younger self not to be so generous because the future is unknown. "There's no such thing as a perfect retirement plan," she said. "Circumstances change, and you can never be fully prepared." Later in life, Swanagan was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive hormonal disorder called acromegaly, which she said caused her brain tumor and was a contributing factor to her diabetes and high blood pressure. It also caused some of her bones, including those in her jaw, to expand, which led her to lose all of her teeth and her joints to ache constantly. "There's nothing they can really do about it to take the pain away, so I'm always in some degree of pain, stiffness. I have trouble walking," she said. Unable to work, Swanagan lives on inherited farmland in Illinois that has been in her family since 1856. At the time of her interview with BI, she was staying in her SUV, which she converted into a camper while she waited for the tiny home she ordered to arrive. "I have people around me that are family that are willing to pitch in and help me put my home together," she said. This story was adapted from Anita Clemons Swanagan's interview for Business Insider's series "Life Lessons." Learn more about Swanagan's story and others' in the video below:
Axios
28 minutes ago
- Axios
Detroit brewery defies Michigan beer slump
A Detroit-based craft brewery saw explosive growth last year — but that isn't the norm across the state. Why it matters: The figures indicate that Michigan's well-established beer scene is not exempt from the tough times plaguing the industry nationally. State of play: The state's largest brewer, Short's, which has a production facility up north in Elk Rapids, saw sales dip 6% in 2024 compared to the prior year, our analysis of Brewers Association data shows. Old Nation, maker of the M-43 New England IPA and other beers, also saw a single-digit sales decline, as did Keweenaw, Blackrocks and Birmingham-based Griffin Claw breweries. Yes, but: Detroit's Eastern Market Brewing Co. saw a whopping 59% sales increase, becoming the state's ninth-largest brewer. Zoom in: EMBC's spike in sales follows an aggressive expansion strategy that's played out in recent years. The company's sister brewery, the Ferndale Project, announced a deal this month with Kalamazoo-based distributor Imperial Beverage to sell Ferndale Project beers statewide. EMBC also launched a local pizza venture, Elephant & Co., with locations in Midtown and Royal Oak that serve its beer. What they're saying: Eastern Market Brewing Co. founder Dayne Bartscht told Crain's that the Imperial distribution deal is a silver lining as the industry struggles. "We've always taken pride in our self-distribution model," Bartscht said. "It's helped us grow smart, stay close to our customers, and remain nimble. That approach built the kind of brand strength and market presence that made this opportunity possible." The big picture: Despite some beermakers' declining sales, more breweries opened in-state last year than closed. The Colorado-based Brewers Association counted 21 openings and 17 closings across Michigan.
