Andy Barr

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Republican Andy Barr and Democrat Charles Booker are both making arguments about Sen. Mitch McConnell’s trade record and tariffs as they compete for his Senate seat. McConnell is Kentucky’s longest-serving senator and the longest-serving Senate leader in U.S. history, Republican or Democrat, according to the Senate Historical Office. What Barr said Barr defended McConnell and the Trump-era tariffs, calling them “leverage” for opening new markets. He said tariffs give President Trump’s administration tools to build manufacturing resiliency in Kentucky. “Well, I believe in free trade, and that’s why I’m willing to give President Trump’s policies an opportunity… using all of the tools of economic statecraft… is giving this president leverage to open up new markets and to build up manufacturing resiliency in Kentucky,” Barr said. “And with respect to bourbon, this is giving us a tremendous opportunity to open up India, which is a very large whiskey-drinking market, 1.5 billion people. We can solve our oversupply problem in Kentucky with that change.” Barr pointed to India, saying cutting its whiskey tariffs and opening a market of 1.5 billion people would solve America’s bourbon oversupply. Checking the India claim India has some of the highest spirits tariffs in the world, historically around 150% on imported whiskey. Recent U.S.-India talks have led to some reductions, but India still charges steep taxes on bourbon. The market is not close to wide open. Barr is right that India is a large potential customer and that tariffs are a major barrier. But trade experts and Kentucky distillers say even large cuts in India alone would not “solve” America’s bourbon glut. Distilleries have built record barrel inventories over the past decade, and it could take years for global demand to catch up. What Booker said Booker blamed McConnell’s support for tariffs for taking bourbon off shelves overseas and hurting farmers. “Once again, Andy Barr is offering more lies,” Booker said. “Andy Barr has supported these reckless tariffs, this temper tantrum tax on working people that is decimating so many Kentuckians, hurting our key industries. Bourbon is off the shelves because of these tariffs that Andy Barr supports. Farmers are suffering because of these tariffs that Andy Barr supports.” Checking the bourbon and farm claims European tariffs on American whiskey, imposed in retaliation for U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, slammed Kentucky bourbon exports. Industry groups estimate Kentucky bourbon lost hundreds of millions of dollars in export sales to Europe after 2018. Some brands pulled back or raised prices. Bourbon did not disappear from foreign shelves. Major labels stayed in the market, and exports have started to recover as some of those disputes eased. On farmers, the picture is more complicated. Kentucky corn growers didn’t see a clear, statewide collapse just from bourbon tariffs. Farm income also depends on global grain prices, weathe