Trump subsequently called for a primary challenge in Massie’s district, sharing a McLaughlin & Associates poll from his Truth Social account on Thursday that indicated the Kentucky lawmaker could be ousted from his seat, as his favorability rating has fallen to 43%, down from 54% in June.

“Standing with Democrats and voting against President Trump’s tax cuts and policies has put Thomas Massie at odds with the Republican base,” the poll stated. “Three-in-five primary voters (57%) would be more likely to vote for a candidate who is endorsed and supported by President Trump.”

Massie acknowledged tensions with Trump during an interview with podcaster and comedian Theo Von in late June, blaming fallouts over his refusal to cozy up to the president. 

“I’ve been on his good side and I’ve been on his bad side. And it seems like every couple of years it flips,” he said. 

“There’s two forms of Trump derangement syndrome, though,” Massie continued. “There’s the kind where you hate him so much, it’s irrational. And even if he’s for something you support, you’d still be against him … [and] there’s the other version of Trump derangement syndrome, which is you love him so much, that when he goes against something he said he would do or he does something that’s against your principles, you change your own principles to support him.”

“I try not to have either of the Trump derangements,” he concluded. “Just be for the people of Kentucky.” 

Massie’s overall job approval slipped from 52% to 39% while his “re-elect score” decreased from 41% in June to 30%, leaving him a “low floor to stand on” ahead of the 2026 GOP primary, according to the poll. 

“Incumbents under 40% are considered vulnerable in a primary,” the poll reads. “His re-elect score is below 30% among critical primary voter segments, including conservatives (28%), pro-life voters (29%), evangelicals (27%), voters without a bachelor’s degree (27%), and seniors (22%).”

Pollsters credited Make America Great Again Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC that reportedly spent $800,000 on a TV ad campaign attacking Massie in his district, for the apparent downturn in public opinion about the incumbent lawmaker.

“MAGA Kentucky’s ad campaign has been extremely effective in driving up awareness and influencing voter opinions,” the poll stated. “The majority (53%) is less likely to vote for Thomas Massie based on what they have seen, read, or heard.”

Aside from targeting Trump over spending concerns due to the “big, beautiful bill,” Massie has expressed concern that the president’s allies at the Department of Justice are concealing evidence in the Epstein case, prompting backlash from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).

Massie has also sparked controversy in the Republican camp for questioning U.S. ties to Israel and suggesting Trump superseded presidential authorities when he authorized military attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, which were backed by Israel. 

Massie’s positioning on Israel made him the target of MAGA Kentucky. The super PAC spent $1.56 million between June 27 and Aug. 4 on TV and digital advertisements opposing his reelection. 

The poll was taken from Aug. 10 to 12 among 500 likely Republican voters from Massie’s Fourth Congressional District. Its margin of error was plus or minus 4.4%. 

The Republican congressman’s campaign team reacted to the poll in a statement to the Washington Examiner:

EPSTEIN FILES PARALYZE THE HOUSE, FORCING JOHNSON TO CANCEL VOTES AND START RECESS

“This poll does not reflect reality in Kentucky’s 4th district. The fact that every serious would-be opponent has rejected their recruiting efforts demonstrates this. They’ve been searching for months and still can’t find anyone gullible enough to put their name on the ballot,” they said. “The pollster also has a history of not being in touch with reality, like the time he had former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor with a 34 point lead before he lost by 11, a 45 point miss. He is well known for bad results, and is not the pollster the Trump team uses for serious polls.”

They added, “MAGA Kentucky is not MAGA and not Kentucky. It’s three socially liberal globalist billionaires who are upset Congressman Massie doesn’t vote for wars and foreign aid. One of these individuals donated millions to trans activism, pro-abortion Democrats, and partnered with George Soros to promote open borders, another publicly opposes the GOP’s pro-life platform, and the third billionaire is in Epstein’s black book and organized a fundraiser for [Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)].”