Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., may have lost his primary last week, but he’s not quite finished with his political career. On Monday, the Republican congressman filed a statement of candidacy, thereby qualifying him to run for office in 2028.
Which office, however, remains to be seen.
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In a social media post, Massie said the move allows him to continue his political operations and support his current office position and any potential runs for office in 2028. While the form specifically lists the office he’s seeking as “House,” Massie said, “I haven’t made a final decision about which office to seek, if I run.”
His running for some form of office in 2028, however, is not entirely a shock. In fact, during a speech last week, crowd members were heard chanting “2028” as he spoke.
Massie loses to Trump-backed candidate
The move comes less than a week after Massie lost the Kentucky Republican primary to Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL backed by President Donald Trump. The race has been described as one of the most expensive U.S. House primaries ever.
Gallrein’s campaign got a boost not only from Trump’s endorsement but from heavy outside spending, including major support from pro-Israel groups.
Massie called out that funding in his concession speech, saying sarcastically, “I would have come out sooner, but I had to call my opponent and concede, and it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv.”
A thorn in Trump’s side
In his latest term, Massie has become a regular critic of the Trump administration and its efforts. He was one of two House Republicans to vote against Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill and was a leading force in releasing the Epstein files.
“I lost my election on the six-month anniversary of the Epstein Files Transparency Act becoming law,” Massie wrote in a post on X. “Those buggers don’t waste any time.”
Most recently, Massie has been a vocal critic of the war in Iran, sharing a post on X calling the strikes in Iran “unconstitutional.” He even joined several other lawmakers demanding a war powers resolution vote.
“The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war,” Massie said.
The stances show dissent from Republican views, and more significantly, distance from the Trump administration.
“There is a yearning in this country for someone who will vote for principles over party,” Massie said during his concession speech last week.
Massie has also recently begun touting the line “America First!” in social media posts, with his opinions often taking a more libertarian-leaning position.
“I lost the election but we started a revolution,” Massie said in a post on his campaign page. “Keep the flame of LIBERTY burning my friends! I will continue to put People and Principles before Party. America First!”
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