President Donald Trump scored another major political victory in Kentucky after Trump-backed Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL and farmer, defeated Rep. Thomas Massie in the Republican primary.
Gallrein beat Massie by roughly ten points in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District. The result is a powerful sign of Trump’s continued grip on the Republican Party and his ability to defeat GOP lawmakers who repeatedly challenge his agenda.
Massie had become one of Trump’s most visible Republican critics, opposing key parts of the president’s agenda and angering pro-Israel conservatives with his record on Israel-related issues. Trump personally targeted Massie in the final stretch, calling him the “worst Republican congressman in history” and urging Kentucky voters to replace him.
Gallrein thanked Trump after his victory and said his focus would be advancing the president’s agenda while putting “America first and Kentucky always.” Massie conceded the race, telling supporters that he had called Gallrein and accepted the result.