Massie Gets Mashed while Paxton Gets Praised

In what can only be described as a stunning rebuke to one of the most persistent thorns in President Trump’s side, Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie has been decisively defeated in the Republican primary. Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein, a farmer and former Navy SEAL, emerged victorious with approximately 55 percent of the vote in a race that became the most expensive U.S. House primary election history – fueled by more than $35 million from mostly outside donors.

Massie, an eight-term incumbent known for his frequent votes against Trump’s agenda – including opposition to key spending measures, foreign policy initiatives, and the SAVE Act – finally met his match. Despite strong showings in his home base of Lewis County, Massie underperformed across the district.

Gallrein was urged into the race by Trump. He capitalized on the President’s personal endorsement and a flood of support from Trump-aligned groups and Jewish organizations frustrated with Massie’s anti-Israel positions – including opposition to the military action in Iran.

This victory is a major win for Trump in terms of his hold on his GOP base — coming on the heels of impressive successes in the Indiana GOP primaries earlier this month. There, Trump-endorsed challengers routed incumbent state senators who had defied him on redistricting issues — with five of the seven targeted races flipping to Trump endorsed candidates.

Just days before, Trump’s influence delivered another scalp in Louisiana, where Senator Bill Cassidy – who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment – was knocked out in the GOP Senate primary. He finished a humiliating third behind the two Trump-backed contenders — shutting Cassidy out of a runoff.

The Kentucky contest was not just about one seat. It was about consolidating power and ensuring that the GOP speaks with one voice – Trump’s voice. Gallrein is now heavily favored in the November General Election in this deep-red district.

Endorsement of Ken Paxton in Georgia

While Trump racks up wins, a recent endorsement raises serious red flags. It is his backing of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the high-stakes Texas Senate race over incumbent Senator John Cornyn. This endorsement — announced amid a heated runoff — puts the full weight of the MAGA movement behind a candidate who has more baggage than an airport lost and found.

I wrote about this race in an earlier commentary, “Paxton Has to Go,” where I laid out the litany of scandals dogging the AG – from securities fraud settlements, a messy impeachment trial for bribery and abuse of power pursued by Republican colleagues in the Texas House. There were a number of very public personal scandals including adultery cited in divorce proceedings. And a pattern of ethics complaints that have been fodder for Cornyn’s attack ads – and most certainly will be used by the Democrat candidate in the November General Election.

Paxton styles himself as a fighter, but fighters with this much drama often become liabilities rather than assets. In a state like Texas nominating, a figure with such vulnerabilities hands Democrats a roadmap to flip a seat Republicans should hold – and need to do so.

Paxton’s push for aggressive proposals, like eliminating the filibuster, May appeal to Trump and his base, but ignores the practical realities of a general election against a capable Democrat. Polling and betting markets might favor him in the primary runoff, but general election models show vulnerability – especially if independents and suburban voters recoil from the sleaze factor.

This endorsement risks fracturing GOP unity at a critical time. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has already reaffirmed his endorsement of Cornyn.

Senate seats in increasingly purple southern battlegrounds are not guaranteed. A Paxton-led ticket could energize the hard core but demoralize moderates, drain resources in expensive runoffs and defenses, and ultimately hand the Democrats a pickup they desperately need to take control of the Senate – something believed to be beyond the Party’s reach just weeks ago.

Paxton is “scandal flypaper.” His presence at the top of the Texas ballot will likely turn a safe seat into a toss-up. Prioritizing political pragmatism over personal desire is not weakness. It is political savvy.

Trump does more than merely win primaries. He reshapes the GOP in his image. The days of maverick Republicans freelancing on the floor are numbered. Trump’s primary successes may prove his dominance in intra-party skirmishes, but they do not guarantee winning in November. With Trump’s low polling numbers, these primary victors will face greater challenges in the General Election.

So, there ‘tis.