Nate Morris

Nate Morris
Morris in 2025
Born	Nathaniel Ryan Morris (1980-10-16) October 16, 1980 (age 44) 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)

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 the company Rubicon Technologies, where he was formerly CEO.^[3] In June 2025, Morris announced that he would make a bid for the Kentucky U.S. Senate seat on a podcast with Donald Trump Jr.,^[4][5] and was endorsed by former political commentator Charlie Kirk of Turning Point Action.^[6]

Originally from Lexington, Kentucky,^[7] Morris grew up in Louisville with his single mother^{[8][failed verification]} and maternal grandparents; his mother worked multiple jobs and relied on food stamps to raise him.^[9][10] A ninth-generation Kentuckian, Morris’ family descends from Morgan County, in Appalachia.^[11][12] He was close to his grandfather, Lewis Sexton, who was a former president of the Ford plant United Auto Workers union in Louisville.^[7][13] While attending Eastern High School,^{[8][failed verification]} Morris reportedly developed political aspirations after multiple spinal fractures derailed his hopes of a football career in the fall of 1996.^[9][14]

Beginning in 1999, Morris attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. on an academic scholarship,^[13][14] where he studied international affairs, was member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, and elected Phi Beta Kappa.^[15][16] Morris attended graduate school at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.^[13][9][17] Morris also graduated from the University of Oxford’s Said Business School, where he was a member of St Hugh's College;^[18] he is also a member of the Oxford Union.^{[citation needed]}

Morris is a Republican and is noted as a political fundraiser.^[19] Morris raised over $50,000 for President George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign.^[14] 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.^[14]

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,^[7] becoming one of his top fund-raisers.^[9] 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^[20][21] and was among the biggest donors in Kentucky to Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.^[22]

In early 2025, Morris expressed an interest in possibly running for U.S. Senate or governor in Kentucky.^[23][24][25] In February 2025, Morris criticized Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell for voting against Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and also for voting against Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary.^[26][27] Later that month, Donald Trump Jr. expressed support for Morris's public criticism of McConnell.^[28] In March 2025, Time reported that Vice President JD Vance had encouraged Morris to run for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky.^[21] In June 2025, Morris announced that he would make a bid for the U.S. Senate on a podcast with Donald Trump Jr.,^[29][30] and was endorsed by Charlie Kirk of Turning Point Action at an event in Shepherdsville.^[31] Morris was also endorsed by U.S. Senators Jim Banks^[32] and Bernie Moreno.^[33]

Morris founded Rubicon Technologies, formerly known as Rubicon Global, in 2008 after collaborating with a high school friend, Marc Spiegel.^[17][9][13] The company is focused on business-to-business and municipal waste and recycling services. Rubicon became a public company in August 2022, listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RBT.^[34] 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.^[35]

Mr. Morris stepped down as Rubicon's CEO on October 13, 2022.^[36] 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.^[37][38]

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.^{[39][better source needed]}

Morris was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Pikeville.^[40]

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.^[7]

Morris is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations^[41] and the National Society Sons of the American Revolution.^{[citation needed]}