Nate Morris is ramping up his Kentucky Senate campaign, dropping a new ad that appears to be influenced by the late professional wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, who spoke about hard times while responding to archrival Ric Flair in the 1980s. It’s a simple question to his GOP primary opponents, and the Democratic opposition writ large: do you know hard times? The political class and Democratic base donors sure don’t, but Morris’ pointed question seems directed at his primary opponents, who he's racing to paint as Mitch McConnell lackeys:
Do you know Hard Times? pic.twitter.com/twyUQBeyAs
— Nate Morris (@NateMorris) August 1, 2025
Mitch McConnell and his boys Andy Barr and Daniel Cameron – they don’t know hard times.
Hard Times is being raised by a single mom, not knowing if you’re gonna make rent.
It’s watching factories close, and opioids destroy your community.
Hard Times is a man working a job for 30 years, they give him a watch, kick him in the butt and say globalism took your job.
That’s Hard Times.
And it’s why I back Trump’s tariffs 100% to bring back American jobs.
I’m Nate Morris, and I approve this message because I’m a Trump guy. Not a McConnell boy.”
Morris has spoken publicly about his early struggles, growing up poor and living off food stamps. If there’s a void in that ‘pull yourself by your bootstraps mentality’ that JD Vance left when he was elected vice president of the United States, Morris seeks to fill it. He’s already clinched significant endorsements from Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and Jim Banks (R-IN). This new ad drops weeks after Morris did an ad blitzkrieg throughout the Bluegrass State.
My family descends from Appalachia. I didn't grow up with a silver spoon. I was raised by a single mom on food stamps. I know hard times because when the elites sold America out with NAFTA and globalism - It was my family and friends who felt the pain. pic.twitter.com/UDEJoI5g30
— Nate Morris (@NateMorris) July 12, 2025
Morris' last ad was a pro-deportation media spot, where he makes it clear that he’s not for amnesty or whatever Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) is trying to push through up on the Hill.
We’re going to deport illegal aliens, he declares. And if the political class wants to play games, we’ll shut down all legal immigration until we get all the illegals out.