Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson’s (R) official Senate campaign announcement tour will kick off Wednesday morning in Edgewood, Ky., but Grayson’s fan club on Capitol Hill won’t have to wait long to see him in person.

Twenty-three GOP Senators — including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Bluegrass State’s senior Senator — are hosting a $500 per person fundraiser for Grayson at National Republican Senatorial Committee headquarters Sept. 23.

The NRSC has not officially endorsed Grayson but the location of the event and the fact that NRSC Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) is one of the hosts of the fundraiser is a good indication of where the committee’s loyalties lie in the race.

Noticeably absent from the list of hosts for the September event is retiring Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), whom Grayson is hoping to replace next year. When Grayson announced his Senate exploratory committee in April — before Bunning announced his retirement — he said he formed the committee with the Senator’s blessing.

Grayson is regarded as the Republican with the best chance of holding the open Senate seat next November, but a slew of other GOP candidates, including Rand Paul, the son of Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), are also vying for the party’s nomination.

Paul’s national online fundraising efforts have gained a bit of attention since he entered the race. In one 24-hour push last week Paul raised more than $430,000, according to a release from his campaign.

Kentucky Democrats, meanwhile, are locked in a high-profile primary fight featuring state Attorney General Jack Conway and Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo.