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Voters in six states head to polls with Kentucky’s Massie facing Trump’s fury – US politics live
TL;DR
Voters in six states are heading to the polls today, with Kentucky's primary seen as a test of Donald Trump's influence over the Republican Party. Congressman Thomas Massie faces a challenge from Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein after Trump publicly criticized him.
Key points
- Voters in six states are participating in primaries today
- Kentucky primary tests Trump's influence on the Republican Party
- Thomas Massie faces a challenge from Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein
- Trump criticized Massie as unreliable and urged voters to remove him
- Massie has previously defied Trump on key issues
Mentioned in this story
Donald TrumpThomas MassieEd GallreinKentucky
Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.
Voters will head to the polls in primaries across six states today, with the contest in Kentucky seen as a test of Donald Trump’s grip on the Republican party.
Trump launched a tirade against the state’s congressman Thomas Massie over the weekend as he looks to remove him from office.
Massie is one of very few senior Republicans who has dared to defy Trump, with the president calling him the “worst and most unreliable Republican Congressman in the history of our Country”. He went on to call on Kentucky voters to “vote the bum out on Tuesday” on social media.
Massie has been a consistent thorn in Trump’s side, voting against his signature tax and spending cuts bill, helping to force the justice department to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, and insisting on congressional oversight over the military actions in Venezuela and Iran. Now he faces a bruising primary against his Trump-endorsed challenger, Ed Gallrein.
Republican voters in Kentucky will also choose their candidate to replace Mitch McConnell, the former Senate GOP leader who is retiring. The frontrunners to succeed McConnell are congressman Andy Barr and former state attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron.
Among Democrats, Charles Booker and Amy McGrath, who lost Senate races in the state in 2022 and 2020, respectively, are vying for their party’s nomination once again.
Meanwhile, voters in , Georgia, Alabama, Oregon and Idaho will also head to the polls to select candidates ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Q&A
What is the significance of the Kentucky primary for Thomas Massie?
The Kentucky primary is crucial for Thomas Massie as it tests his standing within the Republican Party amid Donald Trump's criticism and endorsement of his challenger.
How has Donald Trump expressed his opposition to Thomas Massie?
Donald Trump has publicly labeled Thomas Massie as the 'worst and most unreliable Republican Congressman' and urged Kentucky voters to remove him from office.
Who is Ed Gallrein and what role does he play in the Kentucky primary?
Ed Gallrein is the Trump-endorsed challenger to Thomas Massie in the Kentucky primary, representing a direct challenge to Massie's position in the Republican Party.
What actions has Thomas Massie taken that have put him at odds with Donald Trump?
Thomas Massie has opposed Trump's tax and spending cuts, pushed for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, and insisted on congressional oversight of military actions.
