GOP authorities opt out of backing Congressman Massie's re-election campaign, as Trump contemplates his removal

Republican Representative Thomas Massie is facing a potential challenge in the upcoming 2023 primary, as President Donald Trump and House GOP leaders have set their sights on ousting him from office.

The primary challenge against Massie is expected to be particularly heated, given his votes against Trump priorities and his disparaging remarks regarding Trump's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. A pro-Trump super PAC called "MAGA Kentucky" has reserved $1.6 million in ads this summer to attack Massie.

Trump and his team are still searching for a candidate who can go toe-to-toe with Massie in a primary challenge. The search results do not provide the name of a potential candidate who has met with Trump.

House GOP leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, have expressed their displeasure with Massie's actions. Johnson has admonished Massie for undercutting the party's agenda and waging "unfounded attacks." Johnson has also declined to offer his backing for Massie's reelection bid.

Other pro-Israel groups also plan to spend heavily to oust Massie due to his voting record against US support for Israel.

Massie has fended off every previous challenger in his district, which is known as the "Wild West" of Kentucky and is an expensive district for anyone running for office, being split into four media markets in three different states.

Senior Republicans believe Massie could be vulnerable given the right candidate. Rep. Richard Hudson, the House GOP's campaign chief, signaled he was staying away from the internal feud and focused on beating Democrats.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who has long demanded the Epstein files be released, declined to say whether she'd back Massie's reelection. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who has supported Massie's bill, wished his colleague had made the issue less confrontational.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer stated that he leaves all members to take care of their own business, both in the policy arena and in the campaign. Rep. Luna stated that debating and disagreeing with people is acceptable, but personal attacks and actions for reasons other than public interest cross a line.

It remains to be seen if Massie will receive outside help, including potentially from Elon Musk. Millions of dollars are being prepared to be spent in Massie's district to purge him from office. However, Massie has personally antagonized both Johnson and Trump in a series of fights, most recently in trying to force a vote on a bill to release the Epstein files.

As the 2023 primary approaches, the race between Massie and his potential challengers is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested in Kentucky politics.

GOP authorities opt out of backing Congressman Massie's re-election campaign, as Trump contemplates his removal