Trump exerts iron grip on Republican Party with Massie defeated

Victory over a Republican rebel in Kentucky shows the president's strength but his power comes with risks for the midterms.

Rep. Thomas Massie lost his primary election to Ed Gallrein, a candidate backed by former President Donald Trump, marking a significant victory for Trump's ongoing efforts to unseat Republicans he considers disloyal to his movement.

Donald Trump displayed his supremacy over the Republican party when voters in northern Kentucky rejected the maverick congressman Thomas Massie in favor of the US president’s hand-picked challenger, Ed Gallrein.

In the May 19, 2026, primary elections across multiple states, key races reflected the growing influence of former President Donald Trump within the Republican Party. In Kentucky, Trump-backed Ed Gallrein unseated Rep. Thomas Massie in a primary challenge, affirming Trump's sway over GOP voters, especially against those who opposed him.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., lost his primary Tuesday, the latest symbol of President Donald Trump’s influence over his party as Trump campaigned aggressively against Massie, who has warred with Trump for years.

Rep. Thomas Massie knew from the start of the 119th Congress that his independent streak could cost him his seat. But the Kentucky Republican persisted. He voted against the tax cuts and spending increases in President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” He teamed up with a prominent Democrat to push for release of the Epstein files. He opposed the war in Iran.

Donald Trump’s hand-picked candidate for a congressional seat in Northern Kentucky, Ed Gallrein, defeated the president’s nemesis and longtime GOP House member Thomas Massie in one of the most expensive primaries on record.