{"id":2501381,"date":"2025-10-21T11:14:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T15:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ed-gallrein-answers-trumps-call-to-primary-thomas-massie\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T11:14:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T15:14:58","slug":"ed-gallrein-answers-trumps-call-to-primary-thomas-massie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ed-gallrein-answers-trumps-call-to-primary-thomas-massie\/","title":{"rendered":"Ed Gallrein answers Trump&#8217;s call to primary Thomas Massie"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fed-gallrein-answers-trumps-call-to-primary-thomas-massie%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2501381&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL, has launched a campaign to challenge Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) in the 2026 primary election after being encouraged by former President Donald Trump. Trump called on Gallrein to run against Massie, criticizing the incumbent congressman as a &#8220;third-rate Congressman&#8221; due to Massie&#8217;s opposition to key parts of Trump&#8217;s agenda, including concerns over national debt linked to a major bill. Gallrein, whose family has deep roots in Kentucky, expressed his commitment to supporting Trump&#8217;s America Frist agenda and highlighted his military service and local ties. Massie, known for his libertarian and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jpmorgan-ceo-warns-of-upcoming-economic-hurricane\/\" title=\"JPMorgan CEO Warns of Upcoming \u201cEconomic Hurricane\u201d\">fiscally conservative stance<\/a>, has portrayed gallrein as an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >establishment-backed candidate connected<\/a> to figures like Senator Lindsey Graham, whom Massie criticizes for favoring U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/zelenskys-groveling-pr-offensive-hits-the-dc-unipartys-sweet-spot\/\" title=\"Zelensky\u2019s Groveling PR Offensive Hits The DC Uniparty\u2019s Sweet Spot\">military interventions abroad<\/a>. Massie has pointed to his strong fundraising performance and campaign results as signs of his solid support in Kentucky, suggesting that challengers are losing momentum despite spending millions against him.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Ed Gallrein answers Trump&rsquo;s call to primary Thomas Massie<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2202140\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Former Navy SEAL <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edgallrein.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ed Gallrein<\/a> launched a campaign on Tuesday seeking to oust Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/thomas-massie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Thomas Massie<\/a> (R-KY) after being urged to do so by President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Trump pressured Gallrein to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3855748\/trump-ed-gallrein-primary-thomas-massie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mount a primary challenge<\/a> to &ldquo;third-rate Congressman&rdquo; Massie last week after the libertarian incumbent lawmaker bucked the president on his sweeping &ldquo;big, beautiful bill,&rdquo; among other issues, due to concerns it could raise the national debt.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/3857992\/josh-shapiro-memoir-release-in-january\/\">Josh Shapiro to release memoir in January<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3857545\/independent-senate-hopeful-dan-osborn-democratic-donors\/\">Independent Senate hopeful Dan Osborn cashes in on Democratic donors<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3857217\/dccc-outraises-nrcc-third-quarter-republican-september-haul\/\">DCCC outraises NRCC in third quarter despite GOP&#8217;s massive September haul<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Gallrein said this week he was &ldquo;ready to answer&rdquo; the president&rsquo;s call ahead of the 2026 election.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;After serving as a SEAL &ndash; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-los-angeles-tv-news-anchor-announces-bid-for-u-s-senate\/\" title=\"Ex...LA TV News Anchor Runs for U.S. Senate\">including war zones<\/a> all over the world &ndash; I came home to KY where my family has farmed for five generations. This is Trump Country &ndash; but Thomas Massie is blocking the President&rsquo;s agenda. I&rsquo;ll stand shoulder to shoulder with Trump and deliver for KY,&rdquo; he announced in a<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/EdGallrein\/status\/1980629224517165485\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> post to X<\/a> launching his campaign, after suggesting earlier this year that he was <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/_AustinHorn\/status\/1940090018124767598\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more than open <\/a>to challenging Massie.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;While Trump is fighting to restore America, Thomas Massie is standing in the way. I served over 30 yrs as a Navy SEAL &amp; military advisor &ndash; I&rsquo;m ready to answer the call again. I&rsquo;m proud to have Trump&rsquo;s endorsement, and I&rsquo;ll stand with him to deliver America First results for KY,&rdquo; Gallrein <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/EdGallrein\/status\/1980568216490635411\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">added<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Before being endorsed by Trump this month, Gallrein was backed by establishment GOP leaders when he<a href=\"https:\/\/www.courier-journal.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/kentucky\/2024\/05\/21\/kentucky-state-senate-contested-primary-winners\/73612203007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> ran last year<\/a> for a seat in the Kentucky state Senate. He lost the three-way primary campaign to rival Aaron Reed, who won by under 200 votes.<\/p>\n<p>Massie, known as a fiscally conservative libertarian in the upper chamber, has already sought to frame Gallrein as an establishment candidate <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MassieforKY\/status\/1979555374769565714\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">holding ties<\/a> to the likes of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Massie views lawmakers such as Graham as &ldquo;neocons&rdquo; who prioritize what he believes to be needless U.S. wars and intervention in global conflicts over problems he sees as having a closer effect on Kentucky residents.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, Massie<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MassieforKY\/status\/1980264902569624058\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> highlighted the results <\/a>in his 2024 reelection campaign in which he said he won multiple counties that Gallrein lost in his Senate race.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Did they show Trump these results?&rdquo; the incumbent congressman questioned.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3857461\/appeals-court-allows-trump-to-deploy-national-guard-to-portland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">APPEALS COURT ALLOWS TRUMP TO DEPLOY NATIONAL GUARD TO PORTLAND<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Massie also <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MassieforKY\/status\/1976409460097921258\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recently pointed to<\/a> historic fundraising numbers for his reelection campaign, suggesting that primary challengers are &ldquo;getting cold feet thanks to our record-breaking numbers.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Although $2 million has been spent against me, my job approval in KY is good and every corner of the country is behind me!&rdquo; the Kentucky Republican <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MassieforKY\/status\/1977092633697607739\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said after<\/a> his campaign <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3851371\/thomas-massie-record-breaking-fundraising-haul\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">marked the best fundraising quarter <\/a>of his career, raising nearly $800,000 from July through September.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ed Gallrein launches Trump-backed bid to unseat Massie<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2501382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MixCollage-22-Jun-2025-03-04-PM-9033.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[65612,37676,33196,3634],"class_list":["post-2501381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-ed-gallrein","tag-primary-challenge","tag-thomas-massie","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MixCollage-22-Jun-2025-03-04-PM-9033.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2501381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2501381"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2501381\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2501385,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2501381\/revisions\/2501385"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2501382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2501381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2501381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2501381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}