Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is facing his toughest primary fight in more than a decade as President Donald Trump and his MAGA supporters rally behind former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein in a high-stakes May 19 primary.
Massie, known for bucking party leadership, told Republican activists in northern Kentucky that he has fought for gun owners, farmers, and fiscal conservatives.
"These are the kind of things that I fight for," Massie said. "I will fight for you."
But some Trump-aligned Republicans say Massie has gone too far in opposing the president.
"He's a Democrat in a Republican hat. ... He takes credit for stuff that he says he's a part of, but everybody knows he's not," Randy Berling, a Republican from Melbourne, Kentucky, told Politico.
Asked who he would support, Berling said, "Not this guy."
The race is a test of Trump's influence over the GOP. Trump has endorsed Gallrein, a combat veteran and farmer, while pro-Trump groups have poured millions into the district to defeat Massie.
Massie's critics say he has spent years grandstanding against Trump, GOP leaders, foreign aid, and spending bills while neglecting Kentucky priorities.
Still, Massie has survived challenges since first winning the seat in 2012, building a loyal following among liberty-minded conservatives.
Anti-Massie groups have spent more than $10 million, and total ad spending has topped $16 million, according to AdImpact.
Massie said the all-out push against him proves his opponents know he is hard to beat.
"I'm actually glad everybody's in with both feet and the chips are all pushed in," Massie told Politico. "For me, it means they tried me and they couldn't do it."
Some Republicans fear Massie may survive even with Trump against him.
"In my heart of hearts, I think Massie may win," Steve Frank, a former Covington commissioner backing Gallrein, told the outlet. "And if he can withstand this, who's coming after him?"
Gallrein's campaign plans to make Massie's opposition to Trump a central closing argument.
"Every day, we hear from people who feel let down by Thomas Massie," Michael Antonopoulos, a Gallrein strategist, told Politico. "That record along with his betrayal of President Trump will be front and center in this final stretch."
Massie argues he has not changed his views, saying the administration has shifted on surveillance, the Epstein files and spending cuts.
"A lot of the positions that may be counter to the administration that I take now are positions the administration once held," Massie said.
Gallrein has leaned on Trump's endorsement, his military service, and his biography as a farmer. His campaign says the choice is simple: Gallrein stands with Trump; Massie does not.
Some voters say that is enough.
"I'll back Ed then," Republican Kevin Carmack said, "if Trump endorsed him."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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