The Republican primary race in the 4th Congressional District of Kentucky between Ed Gallrein and incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie — the most expensive House primary in American history — came to a definitive end on Tuesday, and President Donald Trump is no doubt pleased with the results.
With over 69% of the votes in, NBC News called the primary for Gallrein, who was leading Massie by over 7,000 votes and roughly nine percentage points. At 7:41 p.m. ET, Decision Desk HQ announced Gallrein as the projected winner as well.
‘Ed Gallrein, a successful Kentucky farmer, and American War Hero … only ran because he thought that Massie was so disloyal and disrespectful to your President.’
Gallrein — the Navy SEAL veteran backed by Trump, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other powerful forces — stated when launching his campaign in October, “This district is Trump Country. The president doesn’t need obstacles in Congress — he needs backup. I’ll defeat Thomas Massie, stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump, and deliver the America First results Kentuckians voted for.”
Massie said of Gallrein’s candidacy: “The uniparty in DC finally found someone willing to be a rubber stamp for globalist billionaires, endless debt, foreign aid, and forever wars in failed candidate and Lindsey Graham donor Ed Gallrein.”
In the months since, both candidates have hammered home these critiques — Massie framing Gallrein as a top choice for foreign or dual-national elites and Gallrein framing the incumbent in turn as an obstructionist “turncoat.”
Trump has been politically invested in this race, having vowed in March 2025 to “lead the charge” against Massie, anointed Gallrein as the challenger, and routinely attacked the incumbent online and in interviews.
Days before the polls closed, Trump wrote, “Kentucky, get this LOSER out of politics in Tuesday’s Election. He is nicknamed Rand Paul Jr., another real ‘beauty,’ because of his absolutely terrible voting habits. Vote for Ed Gallrein, a successful Kentucky farmer, and American War Hero, who only ran because he thought that Massie was so disloyal and disrespectful to your President, ME!”
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Win McNamee/Getty Images
Trump’s successful campaign against Massie comes hot on the heels of his ouster of Sen. Bill Cassidy, who flunked in the Republican Louisiana primary on Saturday.
The president shared a picture of Gallrein just before 8 p.m. ET on Truth Social celebrating his victory.
AIPAC and the Republican Jewish Coalition were also heavily invested in the race, having spent millions to unseat Massie, who has in recent years voted against funding Israel’s aerial defense; criticized Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” in Gaza; criticized Israeli influence on Congress; and opposed the joint U.S.-Israeli operations in Iran.
Massie, who has been in office since 2012, emphasized that the election had become “an inflection point for our whole country.” Evidently, this pivotal moment favored the challenger from Shelby County.
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American history, Forever wars, President donald trump, Republican candidate, Republican jewish coalition, Kentucky, Thomas massie, Massie, Ed gallrein, Primary, Politics
