Gallrein Defeats Massie in Kentucky Republican Primary — Trump Scores Major MAGA Victory in Most Expensive House Primary in US History

Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein, a farmer and former Navy SEAL, defeated seven-term incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie in the Republican primary for Kentucky's 4th Congressional District on May 19-20, 2026. The race was called by CNN, NBC, ABC, and NPR on election night with Gallrein winning by approximately 9 percentage points, a margin wider than the final pre-election polls had indicated. Total ad spending reached $32.6 million — the most expensive House primary in US history — including over $7.9 million in attack ads targeting Massie alone and $9 million+ from pro-Israel interest groups opposed to Massie's foreign aid stance. Trump, who rallied in northern Kentucky in March specifically for Gallrein, celebrated the result on Truth Social as a major MAGA victory. Massie had clashed with Trump over multiple issues including his vote against the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' opposition to the US-Iran war, and advocacy for releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files. Massie's ouster is the most significant primary scalp of Trump's second term and further consolidates the president's dominance over the Republican Party's congressional caucus. The result demonstrates Trump's ~82% endorsement win rate remains intact even against deep-red incumbents with personal followings.