Thomas Massie Faces Ed Gallrein in Kentucky’s 4th District’s Record $34 Million Primary

Rep. Thomas Massie’s Republican primary reelection bid in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District against Ed Gallrein has become the most expensive House of Representatives contest in U.S. history, with spending exceeding $34 million by Monday.

“The race pitting a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump against Congressman Thomas Massie, a rare Republican critic of Israel, has become the most expensive House of Representatives primary contest in the history of the United States”

Al Jazeera

The race is set for Tuesday and pits Massie, a rare Republican critic of Israel, against a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump, with Massie describing it as “a referendum on foreign policy.”

Al Jazeera

Massie’s campaign has raised $5,541,899.88 and spent $5,840,666.14, while Gallrein’s campaign has raised $3,163,892.11 and spent $2,620,238.75, according to Federal Election Commission filings cited in the coverage.

Al Jazeera says the bulk of the spending, more than $25.8m, has come from outside groups known as super political action committees (super PACs), and it links three pro-Israel-linked PACs to more than $15.5m in the race.

Politico frames the primary as a key test of pro-Israel political power over the right, noting that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other pro-Israel interest groups have uncorked over $9 million to unseat Massie on Tuesday.

Trump has attacked Massie on social media and urged voters to remove him from office, with one Truth Social post calling Massie “Vote him out of office tomorrow, Tuesday. It will be a great day for America!”

Massie answered by accusing outside billionaires and pro-Israel groups of trying to “buy a seat,” telling ABC News on Sunday, “You can tell that I’m ahead in the polls, and they’re desperate.”

Daily Signal

Al Jazeera says Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth traveled to Kentucky to campaign for Gallrein, and it describes Massie as critical of unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel and of abuses in Gaza and Lebanon.

In Politico’s account, United Democracy Project spokesperson Patrick Dorton said of Massie, “He’s the most anti-Israel Republican in the House,” and the outlet quotes Massie saying, “When this race is over, whether I won or lost, that’s the story: Were they able to come in and take out a Republican who’s skeptical of Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies?”

The Daily Signal also quotes Massie at the U.S. Capitol telling MS NOW, “I’m the main event,” and it reports that Massie attributed the unprecedented spending to outside influence, saying, “They’re trying to buy a seat.”

Politico says Tuesday’s primary will serve as a key test of the lobby’s power over a party whose historically ironclad support for Israel is starting to show cracks, and it ties the fight to Massie’s votes against symbolic measures supporting Israel.

“- More than $32 million has been spent in the Massie-Gallrein GOP primary, making it the most expensive congressional primary in U”

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The same coverage quotes Gabe Groisman, a former Republican Jewish Coalition board member, saying, “For those of us who care about these issues, ousting Massie is critical,” and it adds that he argued it is “super important to build and keep a wall.”

Al Jazeera reports that United Democracy Project, AIPAC’s election arm, has spent more than $4.1m, while the RJC Victory Fund came in with around $3.9m and MAGA KY spent $7.5m, with Paul Singer identified as a top funder of MAGA KY.

Al Jazeera also states that Adelson donated $106m to the PAC in 2024 to help elect Trump as president, and it says Trump has openly admitted that Adelson and her late husband Sheldon Adelson have influenced his Middle East policies.

In the lead-up to the vote, Al Jazeera notes that Massie has sought to highlight the oversized role of pro-Israel groups including AIPAC, and it quotes him saying the election is a “referendum on foreign policy” and whether pro-Israel lobby groups will be able to “bully” members of Congress.