Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie has filed paperwork to run for the US House of Representatives in 2028, just days after losing his primary to Donald Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein. The move allows Massie to continue fundraising while he considers his political future.
Massie, a conservative Republican and frequent Trump critic, was defeated 55-45 in a bitter primary race that became the most expensive House primary in history. Trump celebrated the result, saying Massie 'deserves to lose.'
In a social media post on Monday, Massie said he had not made a final decision about which office to seek. 'I filed with FEC for the 2028 House race,' he wrote. 'This allows me to raise funds to continue my political operations supporting my position as a current office holder and as a potential candidate for federal office.'
Massie, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, broke with Trump early in his second term over tariffs and spending. He was one of only two House Republicans to vote against Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act and co-authored legislation to release files linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
The primary contest drew massive outside spending, with over 94% of funds coming from out of state, according to local reports. Massie blamed his loss on billionaire donors and pro-Israel PACs, telling NBC's Meet the Press: 'They couldn't buy my vote in 14 years, so they bought this seat.'
Despite his primary defeat, Massie has seven months remaining in his current term and has hinted at a possible presidential run in a post-Trump political environment.
