Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie Loses Republican Primary to Trump-Backed Challenger

Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie lost his bid for renomination in the House primary on Tuesday to Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL who received an endorsement from President Donald Trump. The result follows a campaign in which Trump publicly opposed Massie and supported his opponent.

Massie, first elected in 2012, had maintained a record of voting against party leadership on multiple occasions. He lost after Trump directed criticism at him in the weeks leading up to the primary. The outcome occurred alongside other primary contests in which Trump-endorsed candidates challenged sitting Republican senators and representatives.

Massie addressed supporters after the results were clear. He stated that consistent alignment between the legislative branch and the president would amount to having a king, while adherence to the Constitution would preserve a republic. He also responded to chants from the audience regarding a possible future candidacy in 2028 by indicating the suggestion would be considered later.

Trump commented on the primary result by saying Massie deserved to lose. The president had previously criticized Massie during his first term in office and continued to do so in subsequent years.

Massie’s congressional record included several votes that diverged from positions supported by Trump and Republican leadership. He voted against the major tax legislation passed during Trump’s first term, citing concerns over its projected addition to federal deficits. He also opposed U.S. military actions directed at Iran and Venezuela and routinely voted against foreign assistance measures, including aid to Israel. Pro-Israel organizations directed campaign spending against him in connection with those positions.

In addition, Massie worked with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California on legislation aimed at requiring the Justice Department to release documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump responded to that effort by referring to Massie in negative terms on social media.

Massie was born and raised in Kentucky. He trained as an engineer and holds several patents. He has displayed some of those inventions in his congressional office and created a device that tracks the national debt with flashing numerals; he has worn a smaller version of the device as a lapel pin. After marrying his high school sweetheart, Rhonda, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with her. The couple raised four children in a solar-powered home he designed, where they lived with limited connection to public utilities. Massie also raised cattle and has driven an electric vehicle.

His entry into elective office followed his support for Sen. Rand Paul’s 2010 Senate campaign in Kentucky. Massie won a special election for a House seat in 2012. He did not join the House Freedom Caucus after its formation.

Trump first targeted Massie during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic response. Massie objected to a $2.2 trillion relief measure being passed by unanimous consent and requested a recorded vote, which required members to return to the Capitol. Trump described him at the time as a “third rate Grandstander.”

Rhonda Massie died in 2024. In 2025, Massie announced his remarriage to Carolyn Grace Moffa, a former staff member for Sen. Rand Paul. The couple planned to reside on the family farm. Trump posted on social media that Massie had remarried too soon and referred to him as a “LOSER.”

Massie’s primary defeat removes from Congress one of the remaining members who frequently cast independent votes on spending, foreign policy, and procedural matters. The district had returned him to office in previous cycles despite those positions. Gallrein will face the Democratic nominee in the November general election.