If you're a Republican member of Congress and you've managed to get on President Donald Trump's bad side, Tuesday night in Kentucky was not a good night for you. Rep. Thomas Massie, the libertarian-leaning congressman who has represented Kentucky's 4th District since 2012, lost his primary to Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL who ran on a platform of total loyalty to Trump.
The Associated Press called the race for Gallrein, and the result was another data point showing Trump's continued grip on Republican primary voters. Massie joins a growing list of Trump-targeted Republicans to fall this cycle, including Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and several Indiana state senators who defied Trump on redistricting.
Massie was never one to go along to get along. He built a reputation as one of the party's most outspoken holdouts, pushing for the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, criticizing the war in Iran, and voting against Trump's signature tax legislation last year. He argued that voters could support both him and Trump, but prediction markets had moved against him ahead of the vote.
Gallrein, meanwhile, ran on his military record and loyalty to Trump, accusing Massie of abandoning the president and the party. Trump visited Kentucky in March to boost Gallrein and later attacked Massie online as "an obstructionist and a fool," labeling him a "Weak and Pathetic RINO." On Tuesday, Trump posted an image on Truth Social saying, "Ed Gallrein Wins! Endorsed by President Trump!"
The primary became the most expensive U.S. House primary in history. Massie enlisted Republican allies, including Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, while Gallrein appeared with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the closing stretch. The AP said Gallrein is favored in November against Democrat Melissa Strange in the heavily Republican district.
In other Kentucky news, Trump-backed Rep. Andy Barr won the Republican Senate primary to replace Mitch McConnell, defeating former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Elsewhere, in Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican Treasurer Stacy Garrity advanced uncontested toward a November race. In Georgia, Decision Desk HQ projected billionaire Rick Jackson and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones would advance to a Republican runoff for governor.
