CRESTWOOD, Ky. (AP) — Republican voters in northern Kentucky will choose between U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie and challenger Ed Gallrein in Tuesday’s House primary, another test of President Donald Trump’s power over his party after he handpicked Gallrein to take on the incumbent. The primary race turned white hot in the final stretch. Massie brought in a phalanx of other Republicans, including Rep. Lauren Boebert, in an attempt to show voters that they could support both him and Trump. Trump ratcheted up his social media attacks on Massie, calling him “an obstructionist and a fool,” and Gallrein shared a stage with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday.Trump has tightened his grip on the Republican Party in his second term, successfully purging those who deviate from his agenda, but Massie is one of the last and most outspoken holdouts. A Massie defeat on Tuesday would serve as one of the most powerful demonstrations yet of Trump’s influence over Republican voters.
The matchup between the congressman, who has been in office since 2012, and a first time candidate running on his loyalty to Trump has become the most expensive U.S. House primary in history.
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Massie challenged the president last year to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, which became a political drag for the White House. He has also criticized the war in Iran and refused to vote for Trump’s signature tax legislation over concerns that it would increase the national debt.
