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.
Eating your own. You should be proud.
We just like seeing you pump all those donor dollars down the drain.
Massie was not “our own” he thwarted the Republican agenda at every turn. But he was also an asshole, a local official told me that Massie had insulted the judge execs wife who has alzheimers and Massie got into a physical altercation with one of the executive board members. They all hated him.
Gallrein on the other hand has a tremendous reputation. The Gallrein family traded cows with our family for more than 50 cows, and my dad’s best complement of the family was that the boys (i.e. the generation of congressman Gallrein, brothers and cousins) “were not smart alecs”
Joe, obviously, you are entitled to your opinion and Massie certainly hit Trump’s enemies list, volume 3, chapter 27. Not sure whether “our own” is something good. Seems to me goosestepping only goes so far as a strategy, either party. We just goosestepped our way out of the Presidency for example. The record shows that Massie voted with Trump 83% of the time. In the last session, still 71%. He came in with the tea party revolution, so I agree, asshole, but after a decade or so, many learned the ropes. Tea Party but not aligned with the Freedom Caucus which morphed into Maga which is now Trump’s Republican TACO-fest where Felons are Kings and there’s cash for criminals and Kash is criminal. Many in your party have changed course and bent the knee to the Trump reality. Not some stupid Tea Party asshole, he was his own man. You guys are funnier than us now. Watching you eat your own: priceless. Watching you slap “Trump” everywhere and on everything, put up expensive tributes festooned with fake gold, free felons and give them cash awards, killing protestors, killing innocents overseas, sneak attacks, shooting folks in the back, is all really weird, but sometimes awkwardly funny.
Unlike most modern Republicans, Massie is his own man, like Paul, those frisKY guys from perhaps our frisKYest state. He was inspired by Rand Paul, leans libertarian; I can respect that and him even if I differ on the issues. He plays a straight game, does not waver, does not MACO. Where he mostly disagreed with Trump was on some of the spending:
– covid spending (this is probably where Trump first got his hate on.
– bbb spending
– Iran, VZ and Trump’s foreign aid including Israel
– It was the Epstein files that seemed to seal his fate. Trump’s best friend for over a decade, Epstein. You got a problem on going after Epstein’s legacy? I don’t see you as a PDF-file (say it fast), protector. I say let the files and the survivors speak.
Your guy in charge of cash-for-criminals actually trumped this guy’s high school sweetheart (stupid pun intended), wife of many years, after she died and Massie quickly remarried. He went after the guy’s dead wife. Crapped as well at his new wife that she’s a loser to marry this loser so soon after first wife’s untimely death. Yes, Trump crapped on someone for remarrying. Massie at that time chose not to pull a Rubio and carry water, much less kneel.
Joe, I think you are making the wrong Hobson’s choice. Massie is the real deal even if you don’t agree with him on all issues and solutions. IMO. I think favoring Gallrein is OK, but dinging Massie as you do is misplaced, on the record, and only OK on the rhetoric from the bully, which is a lie. According to the record at least.
More important: if you require goose steeping agreement, you are doomed to failure. Just does not work IF you want to have a free society with freedom of speech, religion and expression of views. Diversity of ideas is POWER. One way, our way, or the highway is the weakness of the autocrat, their lackey minions, and their often blind, brain-dead followers. It is organizational cancer, eating the body from within. For example: do you agree with cash for criminals? Granting restitution to cop beaters, druggies, and pedophile? And if you don’t, should you be primaried? Much less for a two-time loser?
Massie has touted his record of success for the Epstein victims and survivors. Many scalps taken overseas and he plans to spend his last seven months brining it home. He famously noted all the action has been in the last six months and Massie himself has seven months left. I am guessing he will focus on the most prominent names with copious listings in the files. Heh, heh. Let them out them all.
We just like to watch. In all honesty, we do this sometimes too. Ask that guy we used to know from West Virginia…. And we are in the files as well; let the chips fall where they may and let the ax be double-headed and fall both ways wherever the facts lead.
As for Gallrein: it’s the People’s House, I favor diversity, and the House is the place for the people to voice concerns and ideas for the issues of the day. I think the House is a perfect place for the likes of the Gallrein’s of the world. He’s got a lot of checkboxes checked: seal, farmer, master’s degree, but not all. His family life is two divorces, didn’t sound amicable, work is the five-generation family farm, and some dubious resume items like 30 years in the service is not authenticated, but I am sure it will be, and something about claiming four bronze stars when he had three. Hey, my father also had wrong memories of his medals, it happens in the fog of wars memories. Pretty hectic to get a bronze. The guy rose to the rank of Captain, that’s pretty good, and perfect for the House. His cousin runs Gallrein farms, not sure where he actually works, but these farms are really good looking, very modern, modern yuppie ecotourism good even, and quite the accomplished establishment. Matches the top family farms in my neighborhood and if you can farm in NJ, you are very smart, very good.
I think where I get unhinged over his run is that his “platform” seems to be “I like Trump and I am loyal.” A Republican till 2016, then libertarian, then Republican in 2021 seems like a man who is unclear what he thinks or bends in the breeze to get what he wants. His goal is the Trump agenda; I would favor the Gallrein agenda. I would favor HIS ideas, policies, programs and plans. Just saying: I vote Trump is the weak tea that gets you “cash for criminals” and let’s annex Canada.
Bottom line: pretty sure not my cup o tea, but it’s the House where I like to see diversity. Your other farmer, James Comer, did not turn out well, but Comer is more business and certainly not a family farmer. And a total loser. But Gallrein deserves the chance IMO. I do love their farm, looks top drawer. But Joe, you did not answer on the cows: beef or dairy?
KY is an interesting place, politics wise. Andy Beshar is a breath of fresh air for both KY and Democrats. Been watching him rise nationally since 2020 and he’s got style. Seems KY is very diverse.
Good luck in your friend’s run for the House.
Dunger is rooting against America again
I love seeing the voters getting rid of these RINOs, good riddance.
It only takes a few of them and it winds up stopping passage of all the things that got them elected in the first place.
We don’t need a so called Republican voting with the nut case liberals.
The majority of Republican voters want the Trump agenda, not some watered down Bush, McCain, Romney era, status quo nothing burger.