{"id":2567798,"date":"2026-02-09T08:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T13:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/massie-opposition-becomes-trump-litmus-test-for-kentucky-senate\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T08:16:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T13:16:22","slug":"massie-opposition-becomes-trump-litmus-test-for-kentucky-senate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/massie-opposition-becomes-trump-litmus-test-for-kentucky-senate\/","title":{"rendered":"Massie opposition becomes Trump litmus test for Kentucky Senate"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><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%2Fmassie-opposition-becomes-trump-litmus-test-for-kentucky-senate%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=2567798&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>The piece reports on the Kentucky GOP primary to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell,where Rep. Thomas Massie\u2019s standing has become a test of loyalty to Donald Trump. Two Republican contenders, Andy Barr and nate Morris, endorsed Massie\u2019s challenger, Ed Gallrein, in a bid to signal allegiance to Trump, leaving former Attorney General Daniel Cameron as the main candidate still on the sidelines. Barr\u2019s camp is actively promoting Gallrein,while Morris bills a major infusion from tech mogul Elon Musk and other Trump-aligned backers as he camps in the race.The endorsements reflect a broader effort by candidates to secure Trump\u2019s favor, as pollsters show the race tightening: Cameron remains a strong name in Kentucky, but Gallrein and Morris are eroding his lead, with independent polls placing Cameron in a close second and Morris about 10 points behind.A Quantus Insights poll suggests nearly half of Republican primary voters would be more likely to back a candidate with Trump\u2019s endorsement, though many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/terry-mcauliffe-fundraises-for-self-described-democratic-socialist\/\" title=\"Terry McAuliffe Fundraises For Self-Described Democratic Socialist\">voters remain undecided<\/a>. The storyline also notes Massie\u2019s fraught relationship with Trump\u2014he has opposed parts of Trump\u2019s agenda in the past and was once urged to be \u201cthrown out,\u201d though Trump has occasionally endorsed him\u2014making the race a broader contest over Trump loyalty versus massie\u2019s existing base. the contest has become a high-stakes, Trump-leaning clash that could reshape the Kentucky primary depending on who secures the former president\u2019s backing.  <\/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\">Massie opposition becomes Trump litmus test in Kentucky Senate race<\/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_2497277\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/thomas-massie\/\">Thomas Massie&rsquo;s<\/a> (R-KY) fight for political survival is bleeding into <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kentucky\/\">Kentucky&rsquo;s<\/a> Senate race after two of the Republican contenders endorsed his challenger to curry favor with President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/andy-barr\/\">Andy Barr <\/a>(R-KY) and entrepreneur Nate Morris endorsed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3858139\/ed-gallrein-campaign-challenging-thomas-massie\/\">Ed Gallrein<\/a> in quick succession on Thursday, leaving former Attorney General Daniel Cameron as the only major candidate to stay on the sidelines in Massie&rsquo;s race.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4449619\/doj-allowing-congress-view-unredacted-epstein-files\/\">DOJ allowing Congress to view unredacted Epstein files<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4448642\/new-jersey-primary-undecided-progressive-candidate-analilia-mejia-pulls-ahead\/\">New Jersey primary still undecided as progressive candidate Analilia Mejia pulls ahead<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4448175\/mary-peltola-alaska-senate-climate-gop\/\">&#8216;Not Alaska First&#8217;: Peltola&#8217;s Green New Deal allies draw scrutiny in Alaska Senate bid<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Massie, a libertarian and six-term House member, has embraced his status as a pariah in Trumpworld, owing to his opposition to the president&rsquo;s tax law and role in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4212172\/massie-inherent-contempt-bondi-epstein-files\/\">forcing the release<\/a> of the Epstein files.<\/p>\n<p>But Republicans, especially those seeking Trump&rsquo;s endorsement, want nothing to do with his candidacy and see Gallrein&rsquo;s entry into the race <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4407568\/trump-endorses-massie-challenger-ed-gallrein\/\">at Trump&rsquo;s urging<\/a> as an opportunity to signal their loyalty to the president.<\/p>\n<p>In announcing the endorsement, Barr&rsquo;s campaign said he would be hosting a meet-and-greet with Gallrein in Kentucky next Friday and dubbed Morris as &ldquo;Late Nate&rdquo; for offering his endorsement later the same afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL and state Senate candidate, touted their backing as a sign that &ldquo;MAGA conservatives&rdquo; are uniting behind him.<\/p>\n<p>The endorsements mark the latest wrinkle in what has become a bitter race to succeed retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Early on, that meant distancing themselves from McConnell, himself a foe of the president, and promising to be a reliable Trump defender in Congress.<\/p>\n<p>Yet all three candidates have since turned to other Trump critics to cement their standing with the White House.<\/p>\n<p>In this latest dust-up, Barr and Morris are pointing to donations the other gave to Massie in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >past election cycles<\/a>. Morris, a Lexington businessman, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/individual-contributions\/?contributor_name=nate+morris&amp;contributor_state=KY\">donated to Massie<\/a> in 2020 and 2022, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Barr, meanwhile, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/committee\/C00572271\/?tab=spending&amp;cycle=2020\">made a donation<\/a> in 2020 through his leadership PAC.<\/p>\n<p>(Trump first called for Massie to be &ldquo;thrown out&rdquo; of the GOP in 2020, but later <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-kentucky-thomas-massie-1a75ba7b28a5f889210e703a72b85630\">endorsed<\/a> him in 2022.)<\/p>\n<p>The falling out between Trump and former Rep. Liz Cheney is another feud shaping the campaign, with Morris citing <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/07\/02\/us-news\/battle-to-replace-mitch-mcconnell-gets-nasty-over-contender-funding-lawmakers-who-voted-to-impeach-trump\/\">donations<\/a> Barr gave through his leadership PAC to Cheney and three other House Republicans who voted to impeach the president in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Barr, in turn, notes that Morris <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/individual-contributions\/?contributor_name=nate+morris\">donated<\/a> to former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley two years before she challenged Trump for the presidential nomination.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Those guys endorsing Woke Eddie isn&rsquo;t about my race. It&rsquo;s about their campaigns,&rdquo; Massie told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The Cameron campaign did not respond to a request for comment, but his team has largely stayed out of the mud-slinging between Morris and Barr as they seek to overtake him in polling. Until recently, Cameron had a comfortable lead over both competitors, but <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/senate\/republican-primary\/2026\/kentucky\">two independent polls<\/a> released this week showed them siphoning off support, with Cameron now in a close second and Morris roughly 10 points behind.<\/p>\n<p>A Trump endorsement could fundamentally reshape the race, given he won the state by a whopping 30 points in 2024. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/polls.quantusinsights.org\/polls\/kentucky-senate-gop-primary-n869-final-szj5bihe?tab=toplines\">One <\/a><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/polls.quantusinsights.org\/polls\/kentucky-senate-gop-primary-n869-final-szj5bihe?tab=toplines\">poll<\/a>&nbsp;from Quantus Insights<\/span> found that almost half of Republican primary voters would be more likely to support a candidate who gets Trump&rsquo;s backing. A large percentage of voters are also still undecided.<\/p>\n<p>For that reason, each candidate is not simply trying to signal their MAGA bona fides to Kentucky&rsquo;s voting electorate. They are appealing to Trump himself in the hope that he wades into the race, or at least decides not to back a challenger.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think that these guys endorsing Massie&rsquo;s challenger is really aimed at Kentucky politics,&rdquo; said John Feehery, a Republican strategist. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s probably more aimed at the White House.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think that Trump has two things that he cares about &ndash; No. 1, are you loyal to him? And No. 2, can you win?&rdquo; Feehery added.<\/p>\n<p>Cameron lost a 2023 bid for governor to Democrat Andy Beshear despite a Trump endorsement and has struggled to keep up with fundraising in his Senate race. But his strong polling position is due in part to his name ID in the state and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/cameronforkentucky.com\/news\/\">endorsements<\/a> from a number of Kentucky officials.<\/p>\n<p>Of the candidates, Barr has the largest campaign <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/_AustinHorn\/status\/2017755824504934743?s=20\">war chest<\/a> and the backing of several House members aligned with the president, including former White House physician Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/steve-scalise\/\">Steve Scalise <\/a>(R-LA), and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elise-stefanik\/\">Elise Stefanik<\/a> (R-NY), the chairwoman of House Republican leadership.<\/p>\n<p>But Morris is newly touting a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4423848\/musk-donates-10-million-pro-trump-kentucky-senate-candidate-nate-morris-succeed-mcconnell\/\">$10 million cash infusion<\/a> from tech mogul Elon Musk and has steadily pumped his own wealth into the campaign. In addition to Musk, Morris has endorsements from the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, multiple Trump-aligned senators, and former White House strategist Steve Bannon.<\/p>\n<p>Trump is not the only litmus test on the ballot. Morris is attempting to make the border a mainstay of his campaign, advocating a freeze on immigration until everyone in the country illegally is deported.<\/p>\n<p>All three are also painting one another as too &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tractor-supply-announces-immediate-elimination-of-all-dei-roles\/\" title=\"Tractor Supply Announces Immediate Elimination of All DEI Roles\">woke&#038;rdquo<\/a>; for Kentucky, a message that has seeped into Massie&rsquo;s race as well.<\/p>\n<p>In a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JacobRubashkin\/status\/2019491460337266914?s=20\">new ad<\/a>, Massie claimed that Gallrein supports a &ldquo;comeback&rdquo; for diversity initiatives after &ldquo;Trump crushed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-narrowly-confirms-becerra-after-confirmation-fight\/\" title=\"Senate Narrowly Confirms Becerra After Confirmation Fight\">woke agenda<\/a>.&rdquo; The ad, which flashes Trump on the screen, suggests that Massie understands the president&rsquo;s sway in the state, even as he bucks him on Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n<p>Just this past week, Trump <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4447445\/trump-slams-thomas-massie-moron-prayer-breakfast\/\">called Massie a &ldquo;moron&rdquo;<\/a> at a prayer breakfast in Washington, prompting Massie to accuse him of being upset because &ldquo;I&rsquo;m still fighting for what he promised the American people.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4435364\/sherrod-brown-loses-fourth-union-endorsement-jon-husted\/\"><strong>SHERROD BROWN LOSES FOURTH UNION ENDORSEMENT TO REPUBLICAN JON HUSTED<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The two have had an on-and-off-again relationship for years, with Massie notoriously holding up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arsonist-taking-credit-for-containing-a-fire-gop-senators-blast-biden-admin-for-claiming-5-8-trillion-budget-is-fiscally-responsible\/\" title=\"\u2018Arsonist Taking Credit For Containing A Fire\u2019: GOP Senators Blast Biden Admin For Claiming .8 Trillion Budget Is Fiscally Responsible\">pandemic-era spending<\/a> over Trump&rsquo;s objections during his first term as president.<\/p>\n<p>The latest break has become a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/live-updates\/2025\/10\/15\/congress\/massie-best-fundraising-quarter-fec-00608844\">boon for Massie<\/a> in terms of fundraising, but he is facing a deluge of spending from a Trump-aligned PAC supporting Gallrein.<\/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>Massie foes become Trump loyalty test in KY Senate race<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":2567799,"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\/2026\/02\/image-collage-y4ftz4q31-1770421899617.jpg?1770404166&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[12830,4850,3740,3634],"class_list":["post-2567798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-kentucky","tag-massie","tag-senate","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-collage-y4ftz4q31-1770421899617.jpg?1770404166&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2567798","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\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2567798"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2567798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2567802,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2567798\/revisions\/2567802"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2567799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2567798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2567798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2567798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}