On Wednesday, President Trump made a visit to Kentucky, aiming to support Congressman Thomas Massie’s challenger, Ed Gullane. The event took place at Vaast Logistics in Hebron.
Rivalry
Massie’s tensions with Trump were notably highlighted back in 2020 when he postponed a critical $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, which drew significant backlash from the president.
While the animosity between the two seemed to have cooled temporarily, Trump did endorse Massie in 2022, referring to him as a “first-class defender of the Constitution,” although that endorsement was short-lived.
Massie has since shifted his support to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the upcoming Republican presidential primary. He also voted against Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” and openly criticized the administration over its actions regarding the Jeffrey Epstein case. Massie has been vocal against U.S. military interventions and even countered Trump’s remarks, calling Massie’s views radical and unfit for the Republican party.
Trump’s supporters have launched political action committees that have spent over $1 million in ads against Massie in his congressional district.
Support for Gullane
Just a day before Trump’s visit, he publicly backed Gullane, identifying him as a worthy candidate. Gullane’s website portrays him as someone dedicated to the “America First” agenda of Trump and the GOP.
Trump had initially shown his support for Gullane back in October, but the candidate officially entered the race only recently.
Massie, on the other hand, has been vocal about his disagreements with Trump, claiming he is “the worst ‘Republican’ Congressman we’ve had in a long time.” He emphasized that Gullane—a decorated veteran and a committed farmer—would be the one to effectively make changes.
Trump also urged other potential candidates to unite behind Gullane, emphasizing that Massie is bound to lose against what he called “a great American patriot.”
In a post prior to his Kentucky trip, Trump stated confidently that Massie would face a significant defeat in the primaries.
Meanwhile, Massie, in response, noted there are plenty of Trump supporters in his district and emphasized his ongoing efforts on various issues.
This week, Massie released an advertisement depicting Gullane as an opportunist who has previously distanced himself from Trump. Reports indicate that Gullane switched his voter registration from Republican to independent shortly after Trump secured the nomination in 2016, although he later rejoined the party in 2021 to make an unsuccessful Senate run.
Gullane’s spokesperson clarified that his prior shift in registration was a reaction to frustrations with Massie’s leadership, but he is dedicated to standing by Trump now.
As of Wednesday afternoon, prediction markets suggest Massie has a 58% chance of winning the Republican nomination, whereas Gullane stands at 43%. Massie had successfully fended off two challengers in the previous primary with a notable 75.9% of the vote.
The primary election is set for May 19th.
