Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) conceded his bid for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District GOP primary Saturday night, citing a need for a “medical margarita” and promising to “talk about it later” after his defeat to Trump-endorsed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein.
“I would have come out sooner but I had to call my opponent and concede,” Massie told supporters at the rally in the state. He quipped that it took time to find Gallrein in Tel Aviv, adding: “What happens in 2028? You want me to run for Congress again?”
Massie also hinted at a potential presidential campaign in 2028, though he urged his base to focus on unity following the contest. “You made a compelling argument. You spoke your peace. But I need a medical margarita right now,” he said before concluding: “And we’ll talk about it later.”
The primary, one of the most expensive in U.S. history, saw candidates and outside groups spend roughly $35 million combined—fueled by a decisive shift in spending from Massie’s campaign ($5.8 million) to Gallrein’s ($2.6 million), with super PACs heavily favoring the challenger through over $16.4 million in contributions versus approximately $10.1 million for the incumbent.
The race featured contentious television ads, including AI-generated deepfakes. A pro-Gallrein group falsely accused Massie of being “in a throuple” with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, while a pro-Massie ad depicted Gallrein abandoning Trump on a battlefield.
Massie, who has frequently criticized President Trump’s policies, helped push for the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s files and voted against the administration’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” and Iran policy. He also opposed Trump’s signature tax legislation due to deficit concerns.
President Trump reacted to Massie’s loss by calling him a “bad guy” who “deserves to lose.”
Massie, whose congressional term ends in January 2027, described the contest as part of “God’s will,” urging party unity: “What happened tonight was God’s will. And we have to figure out what was the purpose of having the biggest fight ever.”