Massie Floats Gubernatorial Run

Could the people of Kentucky end up with a Governor Thomas Massie?

The Republican representative attended a forum at the University of Louisville on April 6, where an attendee asked if he’d ever consider taking up residence in Frankfort. This wasn’t the first time he’d been asked this question. “I would consider it,” he said — but only if he wins his upcoming primary. “I’ve got to May 19 before I speculate about any of that,” he said. “But if I’m looking at jobs and saying, ‘Which would be the best job to have?’ Probably governor.”

If, however, he loses, he said he’ll take that as a sign from God that it’s time to abandon politics and retreat to his Appalachian farm.

“Primary” Massie

President Donald Trump’s political allies launched an expensive and aggressive campaign last year to oust Massie from Congress. This happened after the president became permanently upset with the Kentuckian’s refusal to go along with some of his policies, including the One Big Beautiful Bill as well as the attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites in the summer of 2025. Massie said the bill was too expensive and the military strikes unconstitutional.

Out-of-state billionaires Miriam Adelson, John Paulson, and Paul Singer have poured millions into the coffers of a challenger named Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL who’s now a dairy farmer.

Trump went to Kentucky to stump for Gallrein on March 11. As expected, he railed against Massie and praised Gallrein. He called Massie names and told people that Gallrein was the “greatest candidate.”

Gallrein’s and Trump’s rhetoric suggests the president’s goal is to have someone in Massie’s seat who will vote with the party and not get hung up on principles, as Massie often has. And Gallrein sounds like he has what it takes to be Trump’s yes man.

But if recent polls accurately reflect whom the Republican voters of Kentucky’s fourth congressional district prefer, the president may end up having to deal with Massie for the rest of his term. Polling and prediction aggregator Interactive Polls, as well as Quantus Insights, which produces election forecasting, has Massie ahead by almost 10 points. Quantus Insights concluded:

Our polling shows Thomas Massie with a clear advantage in KY-4. He has the stronger ballot position, the deeper reservoir of prior support, and a district electorate that appears more open to independence than simple allegiance politics. Gallrein still has a path, but for now Massie remains the candidate to beat.

Massie has been working hard to win reelection. He’s appeared at a slew of forums, party meetings, town halls, and fundraisers. He’s even made campaign stops at distilleries, which might as well be part of Kentucky’s landscape.

Debate Dodger

But he hasn’t had any luck getting Gallrein on a debate stage. “Ed has now officially chickened out of 4 debates/forums,” Massie’s Facebook page said on Monday. “The Republican Party of Kentucky’s 4th District, The Commonwealth Policy Center, Northern Kentucky Young Republicans, & Northern Kentucky Tea Party tried to sponsor a candidate forum on April 18, but Ed refused to attend. His billionaire handlers have ordered him to stay in the basement like Biden.”

Radio host Bill Cunningham wanted to see the two men debate. Gallrein called in as a guest on Cunningham’s radio show in late March. For nearly 20 minutes, he talked confidently about his qualifications and Massie’s shortcomings. He called Massie a liberal and an East Coast elite who would have poo-poo’ed George Washington’s daring move to cross the Delaware. Before wrapping up the interview, Cunningham asked Gallrein if he’d agree to a debate with Massie. Gallrein refused to commit. He paused, then said, “Well look, I’ve got farm work to do and about a thousand other things. Let me get back to you on that.”

The only logical reason Gallrein would not want to debate his opponent is because he thinks it would do more harm than good.

Massie is one of the very few legislators in Congress who understands the U.S. Constitution and respects it enough to obey it. His career score on The New American’s Freedom Index is 99 percent. That’s how often his votes align with the U.S. Constitution. Most legislators are nowhere this obedient to the law of the land.

American politics needs Massie. It needs more Massies, not less. So whether he stays in Congress or runs for governor or another state office, the Kentuckians of House District 4 would do the country a favor by reelecting one of the few true Constitutionalists.

https://thenewamerican.com/us/politics/massie-floats-gubernatorial-run