Trump-Backed Ed Gallrein Unseats Rep. Thomas Massie in Costly Kentucky Primary

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Rep. Thomas Massie, one of the most prominent Republican critics of President Donald Trump in Congress, lost his primary on Tuesday to former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, whom the president endorsed in an effort to oust the Kentucky lawmaker.

With nearly all votes counted, Gallrein led Massie by roughly 55% to 45% in the Republican primary for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, which stretches across the northern part of the state along the Ohio River.

Record Spending

The contest drew more than $32 million in advertising spending, making it the most expensive U.S. House primary on record. Much of the money came from pro-Trump and pro-Israel groups backing Gallrein, according to NBC News. A super PAC called MAGA KY, directed by Trump adviser Chris LaCivita, led an advertising campaign against Massie, much of it negative.

Trump traveled to the district in March to campaign for Gallrein and called Massie a “disaster.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared with Gallrein the day before the vote, an unusual step for a sitting defense secretary that the Pentagon said he took in his personal capacity.

A Persistent Critic

Massie, first elected in 2012, built a reputation as a libertarian-leaning deficit hawk and anti-war voice. He opposed the U.S. military campaign against Iran and voted against Trump’s signature spending and tax package last year. Along with Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, he was a leading proponent of legislation to force the release of Justice Department files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“There’s a portion of the electorate who doesn’t believe that Congress should be independent,” Massie said in an interview with NBC News last month, arguing that lawmakers should not simply follow the president when their party controls the White House.

Part of a Broader Pattern

The result extends a string of primary victories for Trump-endorsed challengers this month in states including Indiana and Louisiana. Days earlier, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, another Republican who had clashed with Trump, failed to advance from his state’s primary.

Analysts said the outcome underscored the president’s continued hold over Republican primary voters even as his overall approval ratings have slipped. It also sends a signal to other GOP lawmakers weighing whether to break with the White House on major votes ahead of the November midterms.

Gallrein will be the heavy favorite in the general election in the strongly Republican district. Massie will serve out the remainder of his current term, which ends in January.