Nate Morris

Last updated

Nate Morris
Nate Morris.jpg
Morris in 2025
Born
Nathaniel Ryan Morris

(1980-10-16) October 16, 1980 (age 45)
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Education George Washington University (BA)
Princeton University
St Hugh's College, Oxford (MBA)
Political party Republican
Spouse
Jane Mosbacher
​
(m. 2011)​
Relatives Robert Mosbacher Jr. (father-in-law)
Website www.natemorris.com

Nathaniel Ryan Morris (born October 16, 1980) is an American businessman and political candidate. [1] [2] He is the chairman and CEO of Kentucky-based company Morris Industries, which includes among its subsidiaries Republic Financial. He also founded waste management company Rubicon Technologies, where he was formerly CEO. [3] In June 2025, Morris announced that he would make a bid for Kentucky's senior U.S. Senate seat.

Contents

Early life and education

Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, [4] Morris grew up in Louisville with his single mother [5] and maternal grandparents; his mother worked multiple jobs and relied on food stamps to raise him. [6] [7] A ninth-generation Kentuckian, Morris's family descends from Morgan County, in Appalachia. [8] [9] He was close to his grandfather, Lewis Sexton, who was a former president of the Ford plant United Auto Workers union in Louisville. [4] [10] While attending Eastern High School, [5] Morris reportedly developed political aspirations after multiple spinal fractures derailed his hopes of a football career in the fall of 1996. [6] [11]

Beginning in 1999, Morris attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. on an academic scholarship, [10] [11] where he studied international affairs, was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. [12] [13] Morris attended graduate school at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. [10] [6] [14] Morris also graduated from the University of Oxford's Said Business School.

Political career

Fundraising

Morris is a Republican and is noted as a political fundraiser. [15] Morris raised over $50,000 for President George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign. [11] He has worked in a variety of roles for several Kentucky Republicans, including the U.S House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Department of Labor. [11] Morris has raised funds and made political contributions for U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and for the leadership PAC of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in 2021. [16] [17]

Morris is a friend and supporter of U.S. Senator Rand Paul. He traveled with Paul to Israel in 2013 and raised money for his Senate and presidential campaigns, [4] becoming one of his top fund-raisers. [6] Paul wrote about Morris in his 2015 book, Taking a Stand: Moving Beyond Partisan Politics to Unite America . Morris is a political ally of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance [18] [19] and was among the biggest donors in Kentucky to Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. [20]

2026 Senate campaign

In early 2025, Morris expressed an interest in possibly running for U.S. Senate or governor in Kentucky. [21] [22] [23] In February 2025, Morris criticized Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell for voting against confirming Tulsi Gabbard and Pete Hegseth to Trump's cabinet. [24] [25] Later that month, Donald Trump Jr. expressed support for Morris's public criticism of McConnell. [26] In March 2025, Time reported that Vice President JD Vance had encouraged Morris to run for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky. [19]

In June 2025, Morris announced that he would make a bid for the U.S. Senate on a podcast with Donald Trump Jr., [27] [28] and was endorsed by Charlie Kirk of Turning Point Action at an event in Shepherdsville. [29] Morris was also endorsed by U.S. Senators Jim Banks [30] and Bernie Moreno, [31] and businessmen Vivek Ramaswamy and Richard Uihlein. [32] In August 2025, former White House spokesman Sean Spicer commented that Morris had "the entire MAGA infrastructure behind him." [33] In December 2025, Morris filed his paperwork in Frankfort with the Kentucky Secretary of State, formally launching his campaign for the 2026 election. [34]

In January 2026, Elon Musk made a $10 million donation to the pro-Morris Fight for Kentucky super PAC, the largest single contribution Musk has given to a U.S. Senate candidate. [35] [36]

Business

Morris founded Rubicon Technologies, formerly known as Rubicon Global, in 2008 after collaborating with a high school friend, Marc Spiegel. [14] [6] [10] The company is focused on business-to-business and municipal waste and recycling services. In 2019, Morris signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge. [37]

Rubicon became a public company in August 2022, listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RBT. [38] A 2017 Bloomberg article described the company's struggles with its technology and business model, as it attempted to distinguish itself from a traditional waste broker. [39] Rubicon's shares closed at $6 on its first day of trading and later declined into the low $1 range in the months following the listing before rallying to close at $2.27. [40]

Morris stepped down as Rubicon's CEO on October 13, 2022. [41] CTO Phil Rodoni succeeded Morris as CEO. As part of the transition, Morris retained a consulting role, was chairman, and a member of the board of directors. [42] [43]

Morris founded Morris Industries in 2010, where he serves as chairman and CEO, headquartered in Lexington. Morris Industries acquired Republic Financial, an insurance company, in 2024. [44] [45]

Personal life

Morris married Jane Mosbacher on New Year's Eve 2011. She is the daughter of Robert Mosbacher Jr., the head of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation under George W. Bush, and granddaughter of George H. W. Bush's commerce secretary Robert Mosbacher Sr. [4]

Morris is a trustee of the Morris Foundation, which provides college scholarships to young people in Kentucky. [46] [47]

Morris is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations [48] and the National Society of Sons of the American Revolution.

Morris was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Pikeville in 2021. [49]

References

  1. ↑ "Prominent Republican senator decides not to seek reelection in 2026". Oregon Live. Associated Press. February 20, 2025. Archived from the original on February 21, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  2. ↑ Maynard, Mark (February 20, 2025). "Wasting no time, Daniel Cameron announces run for McConnell's seat". Kentucky Today. Archived from the original on June 26, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Rubicon Technologies Announces Leadership Transition". investors.rubicon.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Goldmacher, Shane (June 18, 2014). "Rand Paul's New Confidant". National Journal. Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Fields, Greg (August 12, 1998). "Youth dreams of presidency". The Courier-Journal . p. B2. Retrieved February 25, 2026– via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Zax, David (October 25, 2014). "Dividing and Conquering the Trash". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Meet the Republican Senate candidate in Kentucky who could be the next JD Vance". NBC News. August 6, 2025. Archived from the original on September 1, 2025. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Presidential Fellows | Gatton College of Business and Economics". gatton.uky.edu. Archived from the original on February 20, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Nate Morris Fellowship at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress | Academic Commons". academiccommons.gwu.edu. Archived from the original on February 20, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Konrad, Alex (January 10, 2017). "Meet Rubicon Global, The Startup Using Uber's Playbook To Disrupt Your Trash". Forbes. Archived from the original on July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Cheves, John (August 29, 2004). "Kentucky 'Maverick' reels in serious cash for GOP campaign". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  12. ↑ Gaines, Patrice (August 21, 1999). "A Look at History From Room 723". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 16, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  13. ↑ Bykowicz, Julie (May 29, 2014). "Rand Paul's money man Nate Morris leverages trash contacts for political cash". Lexington Herald Leader. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  14. 1 2 Kosoff, Maya (June 2, 2016). "Why Did Leo Dicaprio Join a Garbage Start-up—Literally?". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  15. ↑ Peters, Jeremy; Martin, Jonathan (March 22, 2014). "Paul Has Ideas, but His Backers Want 2016 Plan". New York Times. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Mitch McConnell faces Kentucky Senate primary challenge". CNN. September 25, 2025. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  17. ↑ Mueller, Julia (February 9, 2026). "Super PAC backing Andy Barr launches $2.5M ad buy in Kentucky Senate race". The Hill. Archived from the original on February 10, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  18. ↑ Horn, Austin (March 11, 2025). "On Trump Jr. podcast, a possible Kentucky Senate candidate courts Trump, bashes McConnell". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on July 23, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  19. 1 2 Cortellessa, Eric (March 27, 2025). "For 2026, Trump Bolsters Young Upstarts to Carry MAGA Torch". TIME. Archived from the original on April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  20. ↑ Bertucci, Leo (October 24, 2024). "Who are Kentucky's biggest campaign presidential megadonors in 2024? See the list". Louisville Courier-Journal. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  21. ↑ Catanese, David (February 13, 2025). "'Fog of war': Kentucky Republicans brace for potential 3-way race for US Senate in 2026". Lexington Herald-Leader . Archived from the original on February 18, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  22. ↑ Pinski, Hannah (February 11, 2025). "With Barr reportedly in the running, here's who else could seek McConnell's seat". Louisville Courier-Journal . Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  23. ↑ Hughes, Siobhan (February 16, 2025). "Mitch McConnell Makes a Lonely Stand Against Trump". The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on February 16, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  24. ↑ "McConnell breaks with GOP in vote against Gabbard". spectrumnews1.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2025. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  25. ↑ Mascaro, Lisa. "McConnell tests the strengths and limits of his power opposing a trio of Trump's Cabinet nominees". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Trump Jr. piggybacks on remarks made by Lexington businessman about Mitch McConnell". LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY (WLEX). February 12, 2025. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  27. ↑ Pinski, Hannah. "Nate Morris announces run for Sen. Mitch McConnell's seat". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  28. ↑ Schreiner, Bruce. "Kentucky Senate hopeful Nate Morris pledges his loyalty to President Trump". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 28, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  29. ↑ Stone, Matt (June 30, 2025). "MAGA supporter Charlie Kirk explains why he's backing Nate Morris for US Senate". Courier Journal . Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  30. ↑ Samuels, Brett (July 24, 2025). "Trump ally Banks endorses Nate Morris in Kentucky Senate race". The Hill. Archived from the original on July 27, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Bernie Moreno endorses Nate Morris in Kentucky Senate race to replace Mitch McConnell". POLITICO. July 30, 2025. Archived from the original on August 1, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  32. ↑ Horn, Austin (September 25, 2025). "Conservative billionaire PAC backs Nate Morris for Senate in TV ad campaign". Lexington Herald-Leader . Archived from the original on September 25, 2025. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  33. ↑ Horn, Austin (August 20, 2025). "KY Politics Insider". Archived from the original on August 20, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  34. ↑ Music, Ren (December 15, 2025). "Republican candidate, Nate Morris, officially files his candidacy for US Senate". Archived from the original on December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  35. ↑ Isenstadt, Alex (January 19, 2026). "Scoop: Musk shocks with $10 million donation in Ky. Senate race". Axios. Archived from the original on February 8, 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  36. ↑ Metzger, Bryan. "Elon Musk is spending big money on politics again". Business Insider. Archived from the original on February 3, 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  37. ↑ "CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion – Signatory List" (PDF). CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  38. ↑ Altus, Kristen (August 16, 2022). "Taking out the trash: Rubicon brings waste digital marketplace to NYSE as the company goes public". Fox Business. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  39. ↑ Brustein, Joshua; Huet, Ellen (October 2, 2017). "Can the 'Uber of Trash' Clean Up Its Own Business?". Bloomberg Business . Archived from the original on November 16, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  40. ↑ "Rubicon's stock has struggled since going public. Is the SPAC trend to blame?". Waste Dive. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  41. ↑ "Rubicon's stock has struggled since going public. Is the SPAC trend to blame?". Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  42. ↑ Cawthon, Haley (October 17, 2022). "Rubicon Technologies names new CEO". www.bizjournals.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  43. ↑ "Rubicon Technologies Promotes CTO Phil Rodoni To Succeed Nate Morris As CEO". October 14, 2022. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  44. ↑ "Morris Industries acquires Republic Financial". The Lane Report. September 26, 2024. Archived from the original on July 4, 2025. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  45. ↑ Horn, Austin (November 12, 2025). "How much money do KY Senate candidates have? Many millions, in one case". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  46. ↑ Newswire, Globe (July 26, 2019). "Morris Foundation Presents Lewis Sexton Scholarship Fund Awards". GlobeNewswire News Room. Archived from the original on December 12, 2025. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
  47. ↑ "Scholarships Available". Blue Grass Community Foundation. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
  48. ↑ "Council on Foreign Relations Membership Roster". www.cfr.org. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  49. ↑ Charles, Amy (April 30, 2021). "UPIKE honored the class of 2021 with in-person commencement ceremonies | UPIKE". Archived from the original on December 5, 2025. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
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