Rep. Thomas Massie has filed to run again for a House seat in 2028, less than a week after losing to a Trump-backed challenger in a historically expensive primary.
The Kentucky Republican showcased his filing Monday on social media with a caveat: “I haven’t made a final decision about which office to seek, if I run.”
Mr. Massie, one of the most vocal GOP critics of President Trump, fell to the president’s campaign against him. He received 45.1% of the primary vote, while Trump-endorsed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein received 54.9%.
His loss marked a significant victory for Mr. Trump, who has targeted Republicans who have strayed from or publicly disagreed with his agenda — a calculated move in a midterm election year that could cost Republicans their slim majority in the lower chamber.
The Washington Times has reached out to Mr. Gallrein’s campaign and the White House for comment.
The president put considerable effort into unseating Mr. Massie, who has broken with Mr. Trump on several high-profile issues. He voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, citing concerns about the national debt, and pushed a bill to force the Department of Justice to release its files on late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Mr. Massie has decried the U.S.-Israel war against Iran by consistently voting in favor of resolutions to limit the president’s war powers. He also voted in favor of measures aimed at reining in the Pentagon’s lethal boat strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific.
He said filing ahead of time “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.”
The GOP primary for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District shattered electoral spending records as the most expensive on record, surpassing $32 million due to pro-Israel interest groups spending millions to unseat Mr. Massie, a critic of Israel.
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