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Trump critic Thomas Massie defeated in Kentucky Republican House primary
TL;DR
Thomas Massie, a critic of Donald Trump, was defeated in the Kentucky Republican primary by Ed Gallrein, a candidate endorsed by Trump. This election reflects Trump's strong influence over the Republican party as dissenting voices continue to be ousted.
Key points
- Thomas Massie defeated in Kentucky Republican primary
- Ed Gallrein endorsed by Donald Trump won the election
- Massie's loss reflects Trump's influence over the Republican party
- Other Republicans like Liz Cheney have faced similar fates
- Primary elections occurred in five other states on the same day
Mentioned in this story
Thomas MassieEd GallreinDonald TrumpKentuckyRepublican party
Donald Trump displayed his supremacy over the Republican party on Tuesday when voters in northern Kentucky rejected the maverick congressman Thomas Massie in favour of the US president’s hand-picked challenger.
Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy Seal and farmer who was recruited into the race by Trump, defeated the seven-term incumbent in a primary election in Kentucky’s fourth congressional district in what the president’s allies framed as a test of whether dissent could still exist inside today’s Republican party.
The election took place as voters in five other states – Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alabama, Oregon and Idaho – went to the polls on Tuesday, to decide their nominees for the November general election in what was the biggest primary night of the year so far. Earlier on Tuesday, Trump endorsed Ken Paxton, the scandal-plagued Texas attorney general running for Senate, in a primary runoff against incumbent John Cornyn, infuriating some in his party.
In Kentucky, Massie now joins the ranks of Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Jeff Flake, Mitt Romney and other elected Republicans who were either ousted or decided to retire because of their party’s capitulation to Trump.
Over the weekend, Senator Bill Cassidy, who voted in favour of Trump’s conviction after the 6 January insurrection, lost a primary in Louisiana after the president backed challenger Julia Letlow.
Massie, a libertarian-minded conservative, repeatedly broke with the president over military action against Iran, government spending and the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. He spent months insisting that Kentucky Republicans valued independence over obedience. Instead, voters in the deeply conservative fourth congressional district appeared to conclude that loyalty to Trump mattered more.
For months Trump had treated the contest as a personal vendetta.
He branded Massie a “moron”, a “nut job” and a “loser”, dispatched top advisers Chris LaCivita and Tony Fabrizio to run a super political action committee (PAC) against him, and even travelled to Kentucky himself for a rally denouncing the congressman as “disloyal to the United States of America”.
Q&A
Who defeated Thomas Massie in the Kentucky Republican primary?
Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy Seal and farmer endorsed by Donald Trump, defeated Thomas Massie.
What does Thomas Massie's defeat signify for the Republican party?
Massie's defeat highlights Trump's dominance within the Republican party and the diminishing space for dissenting voices.
Which other Republican figures have faced similar defeats as Massie?
Massie joins other Republicans like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger who have been ousted or retired due to Trump's influence.
What was the significance of the primary elections held on the same day as Massie's defeat?
The primary elections were significant as they represented the biggest primary night of the year, with voters in five other states also deciding their nominees.
