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Congressman Thomas Massie (right) is a target that Trump wants to remove from the US Congress . Photo: Fox News . |
On May 19th, Republican voters will cast their ballots to elect their party's nominee in Kentucky's 4th congressional district, currently held by Representative Thomas Massie.
The election results will be an indicator of Trump's power and influence within the Republican Party.
“Many voters are grappling with the question: Should we side with the president or with our congressman?” Shane Noem, Republican leader in Kenton County, Kentucky, told the Guardian.
The person who dared to confront the president.
Congressman Thomas Massie has long been a thorn in the side of Republican leaders for the past eight terms. Since winning his seat for the first time 14 years ago in the Tea Party era, he has consistently fought against the elites of both parties.
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Congressman Thomas Massie. Photo: Bloomberg. |
Despite his often fluctuating relationship with President Donald Trump, Massie easily won six subsequent races, even as the MAGA movement became a major driving force within the party.
He had never faced any significant challenges in his re-election bid before coming under Trump's scrutiny.
Senator Massie is currently the most vocal Republican critic of President Trump. He has spearheaded the campaign demanding the release of the Epstein dossier and has accused Trump of violating his campaign promise by leading the United States into conflict with Iran.
Mr. Massie wasn't the only target of Mr. Trump in this election. Earlier, Senator Bill Cassidy – who voted in favor of impeaching Mr. Trump after the 2021 Capitol Hill riots – suffered a defeat, finishing third in the Louisiana primary on May 16th.
Cassidy's defeat shows that Trump's claim of a "stolen" 2020 election is still taken seriously by a segment of Republican voters.
Nevertheless, Cassidy insisted he had no regrets about his vote to convict President Trump for inciting riots on January 6, 2021, even though that decision ultimately cost him his seat.
"When I die, if that's included in my obituary, it will be a nicer obituary," Cassidy told reporters. Immediately afterward, Trump posted on Truth Social: "It's good to see his political career is OVER!"
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Senator Bill Cassidy, who voted in favor of impeaching Trump, lost the primary election on May 16. Photo: Reuters. |
In addition to Cassidy, a group of seven senators in Indiana were also "sanctioned" by Trump for opposing the redrawing of the state's electoral map. Five of them were defeated in the primary elections earlier in May.
Now, Trump is targeting a new opponent: Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, who has voiced his support for Massie.
"While I previously supported Boebert, if the right person comes along, I would be honored to withdraw my support and endorse a better candidate," Trump wrote on social media. For her part, Boebert continues to identify herself as a "MAGA" supporter and maintains that she only supports Massie as a friend.
Ed Gallrein - The President's Choice
To oust Massie, Trump backed his opponent Ed Gallrein, a former U.S. Navy SEAL. However, to voters, he was not a particularly impressive candidate.
"His personality is like a rock. I don't think anyone would vote for Ed Gallrein for who he is—they'd only vote for Thomas (Massie)," assessed Senator Aaron Reed of Kentucky.
President Trump once described Gallrein as "devilishly strong," possessing the looks and demeanor straight out of a classic movie. "He was a true American hero, a great patriot," Trump said while standing next to Gallrein during a visit to Kentucky earlier this spring.
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Ed Gallrein received the support of President Trump. Photo: Spectrum News 1. |
According to CNN , Gallrein (68 years old) has never held public office and lost the Kentucky Senate primary in 2024. He is not a born speaker or a charismatic orator.
However, as Trump's allies frantically searched for a challenger to Massie, Gallrein caught their eye thanks to his military service and established reputation in Shelby County, east of Louisville.
On the eve of the election, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth appeared to praise Gallrein and sharply criticize Massie's congressional record. This was a rare political event featuring the head of the Pentagon.
"President Trump doesn't need more people in Washington trying to prove their point, especially from within his own party," Hegseth said. "He needs people to help him win, to vote for him."
That same evening, President Trump launched another attack, calling Massie the worst Republican congressman in the country's history.
The most expensive primary election in US history.
According to CNN , this has become the most expensive primary election in American history, with over $30 million spent on television advertising alone, more than half of which was used to defeat Massie.
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Mr. Trump and Ed Gallrein, Mr. Massie's opponent. Photo: Kentucky Kernel. |
The outcome of this race will be the ultimate indicator of Trump's power over the Republican Party. If he ousts Massie, Trump will prove that the Republican Party remains firmly in his hands. Meanwhile, Massie wants to prove the opposite.
“You can send him a message: He’s going to have to work with me because I’m not going anywhere,” Massie declared to supporters last week. “The swamp is hunting me because they want absolute obedience.”
This disagreement dominated the entire campaign, leaving many Republican voters in a dilemma between respecting the president and admiring their congressman.
Massie assessed that voter turnout would determine the outcome: while younger voters tended to support him for a less militarily interventionist policy, older voters trusted Trump more. "This will be a referendum on the future of the party," Massie stated.
"If Trump isn't on your side in the primaries, chances are it's going to be a bad day for you," commented Scott Jennings, a Republican strategist, in the New York Times . "Within the Republican party, Donald Trump's words matter the most."
However, experts believe Trump's approach carries many risks. The Republican Party is facing significant challenges from voters due to rising living costs and the conflict in Iran.
"It's worth reiterating that despite his low overall approval ratings, Trump still has a very solid base within the Republican Party," observed Jon Fleischman, the party's strategist in California. Now, Republicans feel they have little room to oppose White House policies.
However, analysts also point out that Trump primarily intervened in states that leaned strongly toward the Republican side. It seems the White House feared that loyal but extremist candidates could backfire if they didn't win over moderate voters – those who ultimately determine the election outcome.
In February, Trump withdrew his support for Representative Jeff Hurd (Colorado) when the politician opposed the White House's tax policies. However, because his chosen replacement risked causing the Republican Party to lose seats to the Democrats, he was forced to reverse his decision later.
Source: https://znews.vn/cuoc-chien-nho-gai-cua-ong-trump-post1652438.html
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