Thomas Massie, the conservative Kentucky congressman, has filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for the US House of Representatives in 2028, less than a week after losing a bruising primary to Donald Trump's preferred candidate, Ed Gallrein, by 55 to 45 per cent.
Massie, who has seven months left in his current term, said on social media that the filing allows him to raise funds for his political operations while he considers his next move. “I haven’t made a final decision about which office to seek, if I run,” he wrote.
The president celebrated Massie's defeat, saying “He deserves to lose,” as the congressman became the latest Republican to be ousted by Trump's political machine. Massie had broken with the president early in his second term, criticising his tariff regime and spending, and was one of only two House Republicans to vote against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He also co-authored legislation that forced the Department of Justice to release files connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
The primary contest was the most expensive House primary in history, with over 94 per cent of the money spent coming from outside the state. Massie's opponents were backed by billionaire donors and political action committees associated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The race also featured AI-generated advertising, including one advert that depicted Massie accompanying two female Democratic leaders into a hotel room.
Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Massie said: “They couldn’t buy my vote in 14 years, so they bought this seat.” He added that spending in the race had reached more per day than most entire congressional campaigns spend over a full cycle.
