Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy SEAL and farmer hand-picked by President Donald Trump, defeated seven-term incumbent Representative Thomas Massie in the Republican primary for Kentucky's 4th Congressional District. The contest became the most expensive US House of Representatives primary in history, serving as a test of whether dissent could still exist within the Republican party. Massie claimed his opponents decided to buy the seat.
With an estimated 72 percent of the vote counted, Gallrein led with 54.4 percent to Massie's 45.6 percent. Massie had been a frequent critic and a thorn in the side of the president, often opposing GOP priorities. Following a series of high-profile run-ins, the president targeted the Kentucky lawmaker and endorsed Gallrein to end Massie's reelection bid.
The result signals a tightening grip and persisting influence by President Trump over GOP voters. This victory adds to a growing number of Trump-backed primary challengers who have defeated Republican lawmakers who angered the president in his second term, following similar setbacks for Indiana lawmakers and Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy.