Letter to 2026 US Senate Candidates

The following is a letter sent by Chairman Robert Benvenuti on June 26, 2025 to each U.S. Senate candidate who was invited to attend the 2025 Republican Party of Kentucky Statewide Lincoln Dinner.

Dear (US Senate Candidates), 

I hope this letter finds you well. I’m reaching out to personally invite you to our Statewide Lincoln Dinner, taking place on Saturday, August 9th, at the Central Bank Center in Lexington, Kentucky. 

Given the excitement surrounding this year’s Republican U.S. Senate Primary, we would like to feature candidates during the event and provide each with an opportunity to address our attendees. To be eligible to speak, candidates must meet a basic threshold of viability consistent with FEC guidelines, which require candidates to register and file financial reports once they have raised or spent more than $5,000. 

Candidates who meet this threshold will be invited to speak and will receive complimentary admission to the VIP Reception, along with one guest and one staff member. Please email the names of your guest and staffer to Cammeron Durham as soon as possible so we can best ensure fairness in planning. 

With a full program, we seek to balance giving each qualified candidate an equal and fair opportunity to address the attendees, while at the same time keeping the evening running smoothly. Accordingly, each candidate will be allotted up to five minutes to speak. Speaking order will be determined by a random drawing that will take place at the VIP Reception. 

In the spirit of party unity, I respectfully ask all candidates to honor the great President Reagan’s 11th Commandment—“Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” The request pertains to Republicans not involved in the U.S. Senate Primary. As Republicans, we fully embrace the vital role vigorous political debate plays in protecting our democracy. At the same time, we ask that you be mindful that this event is designed to further unify Republicans across the Commonwealth and celebrate the greatness of our beloved Nation. I am certain that Kentucky Republicans expect from each of you the professionalism and decorum expected of a Republican United States Senator. Likewise, I trust that each of you agrees that no matter who wins the primary, our collective and ultimate goal must be victory in November of 2026. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly at ***-***-**** or contact any member of our team. We look forward to seeing you at this exciting and important event, and wish you the very best in your campaigns. 

With sincere appreciation, 

Chairman Robert J. Benvenuti III