Kentucky voters will head to the ballot boxes on Tuesday for the 2026 primary elections, weighing in on hundreds of state races and several federal races with major national implications.Across the state, Kentuckians will weigh in on the primaries for all six U.S. House seats, all state House seats, half of the state’s Senate seats, and one U.S. Senate seat. The most-watched races nationally will be in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, which will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s endorsement power, and the race to fill retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) seat.Between Rep. Thomas Massie’s (R-KY) survival bid against Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein and the open Republican Senate primary to fill McConnell’s seat, eyes will surely be on the Bluegrass State’s primary returns. Here’s what to know ahead of Tuesday.
Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District: Massie vs. Gallrein
Kentucky’s most-watched race will be the GOP primary in the state’s 4th Congressional District, as the incumbent Massie seeks to hang on to the seat he has held since 2012. He is facing a heated primary challenge from Trump-endorsed Gallrein, a retired Navy SEAL captain.
Gallrein has dramatically cut down the odds of Massie retaining his seat this year — the limited polling in the race shows Massie just single digits ahead of Gallrein. The retired Navy SEAL captain’s challenge is unprecedented for Massie, as he has won every primary since entering Congress with over 70% of the vote.
