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Ed Gallrein defeats Rep. Massie in GOP House primary
President Donald Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL and Kentucky farmer, defeated a longtime Trump antagonist, GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Gallrein said during his victory speech, "Now my focus is on advancing the president's and the party's agenda to put America first and Kentucky always."
A loss for a Republican Kentucky congressman in Tuesday night’s primary was a victory for President Donald Trump, after the two have been at odds for years.
Rep. Thomas Massie lost his primary bid for reelection to a former Navy SEAL handpicked and endorsed by Trump, Ed Gallrein.
Rep. Massie career
Rep. Thomas Massie toasts a glass of raw milk during his concession speech on May 19, 2026 in Hebron, Kentucky. Massie, who has served Kentucky's 4th Congressional District since 2012, conceded his loss after the most expensive US House Primary in US …
The backstory:
Massie, an engineer and libertarian-leaning politician, first joined Congress in 2012. He had become among the most powerful rank-and-file Republicans in the House because of his willingness to vote as he pleased, rather than as the party demanded.
Massie has opposed U.S. intervention overseas, including Iran and Venezuela, and has routinely voted against U.S. foreign aid to Israel.
And he’s perhaps most known for his efforts to force the Justice Department’s release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
His clash with Trump began to build in 2025, Reuters reported, when he was one of only two House Republicans to vote against the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill."
What they're saying:
"If the legislative branch always votes with the president, we do have a king," Massie told his supporters Tuesday night. But if lawmakers follow the Constitution, he said, "we have a republic."
What's next:
His crowd of supporters began chanting, "2028!" and "President!" Tuesday night, to which Massie reportedly replied, "You’ve made a compelling argument. We’ll talk about it later."
Meanwhile:
In Louisiana, Sen. Bill Cassidy suffered a similar election fate over the weekend after Trump endorsed one of Cassidy’s opponents.
Cassidy had spent years trying to convince his voters that he was supportive of the president even though he voted to convict Trump in a Senate impeachment trial after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Why you should care:
The voting pattern could demonstrate a difficulty for elected leaders in the Republican party to continue on without Trump’s support.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from The Associated Press and Reuters. This story was reported from Detroit.