Trump Nemesis Rep. Thomas Massie Loses Primary To Ed Gallrein, Major Victory For Trump

BreakingBusinessTrump Nemesis Rep. Thomas Massie Loses Primary To Ed Gallrein, Major Victory For TrumpBySara Dorn,Forbes Staff. Sara Dorn is a Forbes news reporter who covers politics.Follow AuthorMay 19, 2026, 07:56pm EDTToplineRep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., lost his primary Tuesday, the latest symbol of President Donald Trump’s influence over his party as Trump campaigned aggressively against Massie, who has warred with Trump for years.Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) listens during the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Second Amendment hearing in Dirksen Senate Office Building on April 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Luke Johnson/Getty Images)Getty ImagesKey FactsMassie won 46% of votes when the Associated Press called the race and his Trump-backed challenger, retired Navy SEAL captain Ed Gallrein, won 54%.The race was the latest notable test of Trump’s influence—Trump scored a victory on Saturday when Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., lost his primary to Trump-backed challenger Rep. Julia Letlow, after Cassidy voted to convict Trump following his 2021 impeachment.With $32 million in ad spending, the race was the most expensive House primary in history, as pro-Israel donors, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other pro-Israel groups, poured millions into ads that have attacked Massie for his opposition to U.S. aid to Israel, among other votes against pro-Israel measures, Politico reported.Trump’s vengeance campaign against Massie dates back to his first term and has grown deeper during his second term as Massie co-sponsored legislation to force the release of the Epstein files, has criticized the war against Iran, and voted against Trump’s signature policy bill last year, among other Trump-backed measures. Trump was so eager to oust Massie he has said he just wanted a “warm body” to beat him, though he has promoted Gallrein’s credentials, calling him “a winner who will not let you down” in a Truth Social post on Monday. if (!w...