Trump Now Demanding Massie Primary Defeat – RedState
Kentucky Republican and Libertarian Rep. Thomas Massie (KY-04) has been a thorn in President Trump’s side throughout his two terms in office, often going against mainstream Republican Party positions on things like Operation Epic Fury. Now Rep. Massie faces a tough primary fight, and President Trump, never one to suffer in silence, is urging Kentucky Republicans to show Massie the door.
Fresh off his job to oust Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., in a Louisiana primary, President Donald Trump issued a call to action against Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., urging his supporters to vote against another of his GOP critics and warning the rest of the party to align with him or risk Cassidy’s fate.
“Tom Massie of Kentucky, the worst and most unreliable Republican congressman in our country’s history, is an even greater insult to our nation than Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who suffered an unprecedented loss tonight by not even being allowed to run in the Republican primary,” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after midnight.
“This is the first time something like this has happened to a sitting US senator!” continued the president. “That’s what you get for voting to impeach an innocent man, especially one who made Cassidy’s Senate victory possible.”
Kentucky’s primary elections are scheduled for Tuesday, May 19.
Learn more: New Politico interview exposes Thomas Massie – in his own words
New: House Votes on Operation Epic Fury War Powers Resolution
President Trump’s wishes may well come true. The recent poll gives Massie’s main opponent, Republican Ed Gallrein, a slim but not invisible lead. Take a look at the numbers:
- SoCal Strategies, May 15 – May 16: Gallrein 49, Massie 42
- Big Data survey, May 12 – May 14: Gallrein 49, Massie 51
- Quantus Insights, May 11 – May 12: Gallrein 53 years old, Massie 45 years old
- Big Data survey, April 3 – April 7: Gallrein 48, Massie 52
- Quantus Insights, April 6 to 7: Gallrein 38 years old, Massie 47 years old
Things are still tight, but it appears the momentum is on Ed Gallrein’s side.
President Trump endorsed Ed Gallrein in his usual style:
Trump used Cassidy’s defeat as a warning shot against Massie, whom Trump called a “grandstander” for voting against his agenda in the House since 2020.
“Very disloyal, but Tom Massie, a great Sleazebag, is even worse!” Trump’s scathing message continued. “Kentucky, kick this LOSER out of politics in Tuesday’s election. He’s nicknamed Rand Paul Jr., another real ‘beauty,’ because of his absolutely terrible voting habits.
“Vote for Ed Gallrein, a successful Kentucky farmer and American war hero, who only ran because he thought Massie was so disloyal and disrespectful to your president, ME!
President Trump also launched an attack on Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert (CO-04), considered a Massie ally.
Trump also targeted Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., for supporting Massie, calling her “feeble-minded” and suggesting he would consider withdrawing her support if a challenger entered the race against her in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.
“Boebert is campaigning for the worst “Republican” Congressman in our country’s history, Thomas Massie, from the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky, and anyone who can be that stupid deserves a good fight in the Primary!” Trump wrote in an article published earlier Saturday evening on Truth Social.
President Trump has withdrawn his previous support for Rep. Boebert and is calling for a primary candidate for his seat in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, which encompasses much of (conservative) eastern Colorado. Whatever happens, CO-04 will likely remain in Republican hands; the district has an R+9 rating in the Cook Partisan Voting Index. Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District is also expected to remain in Republican hands; President Trump won in 2024 in Kentucky by a nearly 2-to-1 margin over Kamala Harris, and Rep. Massie, in 2024, won re-election uncontested, except for one write-in independent candidate, Benjamin Middendorf, who appears to have drawn support primarily from friends and family. The last Democratic candidate for the 2022 seat was defeated by Massie by a margin of more than 2 to 1. No matter who wins the primary, it appears KY-04 will remain a safe seat for the GOP.
Will President Trump’s insistence cost Rep. Massie his House seat? Soon we will know.
Editor’s note: The 2026 midterm elections will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both houses of Congress.
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