A pro-Trump super PAC has launched its first television ad against Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. The move follows President Donald Trump’s vow to recruit a primary challenger to defeat Massie in his upcoming election.
What has Massie done to anger Trump?
Massie most recently angered Trump over his criticism of U.S. airstrikes on Iran. He has also been known to promote libertarian views that have occasionally clashed with the Trump administration’s agenda – particularly in opposition to the president’s budget bill, which faces a tight July 4 deadline for passage.
However, Massie’s supporters note that those same libertarian principles have boosted his popularity in Kentucky’s conservative central district.
When and where will the ad run?
The MAGA Kentucky ad began airing on Friday, June 27 and is part of a more than $1 million ad buy. It will run on Fox News and stations in the Cincinnati and Louisville markets. The commercial will also run on digital platforms in a bid to sway Republican voters to “fire Massie.”
The ad ends by claiming Massie “sided” with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following his opposition to Trump’s decision to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The ad also shows Massie alongside notable progressive politicians, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., both of whom have condemned the strikes.
Additionally, the commercial criticizes Massie for voting against Trump’s agenda in the U.S. House of Representatives, including legislation for tax cuts and funding for border security. The commercial says, “Let’s fire Thomas Massie.” He was one of only two Republicans in the House to vote against the president’s “big beautiful bill” in May, which compelled Trump to call for Massie to be “voted out of office.”
Massie has not yet responded to the ad.
Who is behind the ad and efforts to unseat Massie?
The commercial is being run by MAGA Kentucky, which is led by senior advisers to Trump, Chris LaCivita and Tony Fabrizio, as first reported by Axios.
It comes after Trump posted on Truth Social that he plans to actively recruit a primary challenger to Massie.
“The good news is that we will have a wonderful American Patriot running against him in the Republican Primary, and I’ll be out in Kentucky campaigning really hard,” Trump wrote on his social media platform on Sunday, June 22.
In response to the post on Sunday, Massie wrote on X, “@realDonaldTrump declared so much War on me today it should require an Act of Congress.”
Massie also said he is unfazed by Trump’s attacks, defending his record by saying he is “consistent,” regardless of who is president.
While Trump is now escalating efforts to unseat him, Massie has easily fought off primary challengers in his last three elections.
Trump’s political operation has shown that it’s not afraid to go after Republicans it sees as obstacles to the president’s legislative agenda and is using part of its reported $500 million set aside for political spending – a signal that the administration sees Massie as a roadblock to its priorities.
