Trump critic loses GOP primary after turning it into referendum on Israel

Rep. Thomas Massie was defeated by Trump-backed challenger after saying the race was a “referendum” on Israel and pro-Israel groups in the US.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

A House Republican who highlighted his opposition to US support for Israel in a highly contested primary race was defeated Tuesday by a challenger backed by President Donald Trump.

Rep. Thomas Massie, the libertarian-leaning lawmaker who has represented Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District – spanning much of the northern edge of the state – since 2012, conceded late Tuesday night after major outlets called the race for his opponent.

“I have called and conceded the race,” Massie told supporters at his campaign headquarters in Hebron, Kentucky.

“Welcome to the most expensive congressional primary in the 250-year history of this country.”

More than $32 million was spent on the race, which drew nationwide interest after Massie repeatedly clashed with President Trump over the war with Iran and spotlighted his own criticism of US support for Israel.

Jewish groups and pro-Israel lobbying groups, including AIPAC and Christians United for Israel, joined together with pro-Trump political action groups including MAGA KY to fund Massie’s opponent, former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein.

Massie’s campaign received strong financial backing from libertarian billionaire Jeff Yass via the Project Freedom PAC.

During the race, Massie repeatedly accused Israel of working to interfere in American politics and framed the primary vote as a “referendum” on American ties to the Jewish state.

“I’m the one they haven’t been able to bully. So, they’re putting all the brunt, the force on me,” Massie told ABC on Sunday. “The RJC, AIPAC and Miriam Adelson and Paul Singer, they’re all part of the Israeli lobby. And that’s where all the money comes from.”

Massie has for years stood out as the most consistent Republican critic of US support for Israel. He was the lone Republican vote against a symbolic House resolution passed in October 2023 declaring support for Israel after the Hamas invasion, and he sparked controversy in the past for refusing to back resolutions condemning antisemitism.

In November 2023, Massie was the sole lawmaker to vote against a resolution affirming Israel’s right to exist.

In a recent appearance on Tucker Carlson’s podcast, Massie parroted false claims that the Department of Homeland Security’s X account had been remotely established in Israel.

Even in his concession speech, Massie tied the race to Israel, accusing his opponent of being in Israel on election night.

“I would have come out sooner, but I had to call my opponent to concede and it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv.”

With more than 95% of the vote counted early Wednesday morning, Gallrein held a 10-point lead over Massie, 55% to 45%, with 57,822 votes to Massie’s 47,539.

The district is considered a safe Republican seat, with Massie running unopposed in the 2024 general election.