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Rep. Thomas Massie lost Kentucky’s Republican primary on Tuesday after facing a sustained campaign backed by pro-Israel groups and U.S. President Donald Trump, ending the seven-term congressman’s run following months of political pressure and record outside spending.
Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein emerged victorious, according to the Associated Press tally. With around 85% of votes counted, Gallrein secured roughly 55% of the vote compared with Massie’s 45%.
“I would have come out sooner, but I had to call my opponent and concede, and it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv,” Massie told supporters after conceding.
“For 14 years, those SOBs in Washington tried to buy my vote. They couldn't buy it. Why did the race get so expensive? Because they decided to buy the seat, and it got really expensive for ’em,” he added.
The race drew unusual national attention as Trump sought to remove one of his most persistent Republican critics.
“The worst Congressman in the long and storied history of the Republican Party, is Thomas Massie. He is an obstructionist and a fool. Vote him out of office tomorrow, Tuesday,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Monday.
Trump also dispatched Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to campaign for Gallrein in Kentucky, a move that sparked legal questions given restrictions on partisan political activity by federal officials.
Behind the scenes, pro-Israel organizations poured millions of dollars into the contest, targeting Massie over his long-standing opposition to foreign aid packages, including assistance to Israel.
According to Al Jazeera, nearly $35 million was spent in the race, making it the most expensive House primary in U.S. history.
“You can tell that I’m ahead in the polls, and they’re desperate,” Massie said during an interview with ABC News on Sunday.
“That’s why they’re sending the Secretary of War to my district tomorrow. That’s why the president’s losing sleep and tweeting about this. That’s why AIPAC has dumped another $3 million into my race this weekend, he said.
The United Democracy Project, the political spending arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), spent more than $4.1 million on the race, according to election data reviewed by Al Jazeera.
The RJC Victory Fund, affiliated with the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), spent an additional $3.9 million.
AIPAC Tracker, which monitors donations from pro-Israel organizations and individuals, estimated Gallrein received more than $15.5 million from pro-Israel political action committees (PACs).
The Trump-linked MAGA KY super PAC spent another $7 million, mostly on advertisements opposing Massie.
Taken together, outside spending turned the contest into the costliest House primary on record.
The Republican Jewish Coalition defended its opposition to Massie, saying on X:
“Massie has stood alone among House Republicans in opposing aid to our ally Israel, voting against bipartisan resolutions condemning antisemitism, and, in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack—the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust—Massie voted against emergency assistance for Israel as it fought a war for its very survival.”
“His record is indefensible, and tonight, the Republican primary voters of Kentucky held him accountable,” it added.
Massie’s defeat followed months of attacks from Trump and more than $32 million in advertising spending, transforming a traditionally low-profile Kentucky primary into a national test of loyalty within the Republican Party.
Several U.S. states held primaries Tuesday ahead of November’s midterm elections, but Kentucky attracted particular attention because of Massie’s status as one of Trump’s most outspoken internal critics.
The race was widely viewed as a measure of Trump’s continued influence over Republican voters despite wars abroad, inflation concerns, and declining approval ratings.
Massie angered Trump by opposing US military action in Iran and Venezuela, criticizing aid to Israel, resisting parts of the president’s agenda and supporting efforts to release files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump endorsed Gallrein, a farmer and retired US Navy SEAL, in what the media described as the most expensive House primary in US history.
“They decided to buy the seat,” Massie said during his concession speech. “They used a lot of dirty tricks, but we stayed the course.”
Trump had repeatedly attacked the libertarian-leaning congressman, calling him a “moron,” “nut job,” and “major sleazebag.”
“He was a bad guy, he deserved to lose,” Trump told reporters after the race was called.
The Kentucky result followed defeats for several Republicans who had publicly broken with Trump.
In Indiana, Trump-backed allies defeated state lawmakers who resisted his redistricting push. In Louisiana, Sen. Bill Cassidy—who voted to convict Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot—failed to advance to a Senate runoff.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who rejected Trump’s claims about the 2020 election results, also lost his primary race on Tuesday.
The White House quickly celebrated the outcome.
“Do not ever doubt President Trump and his political power,” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote on X.
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