Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., announced Monday that he has officially filed paperwork for a potential 2028 congressional campaign following his primary defeat to Ed Gallrein.
Massie confirmed on X that he filed with the Federal Election Commission to continue raising money and maintaining political operations while deciding whether to seek another House term or potentially pursue another federal office.
“I filed with FEC for the 2028 House race,” Massie wrote Monday. “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.”
“I haven’t made a final decision about which office to seek, if I run,” he added.
The announcement comes less than a week after Massie lost the Republican primary for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District to retired Navy SEAL officer Ed Gallrein, who received Trump’s endorsement after Massie repeatedly broke with the president on several high-profile issues.
Massie had become one of the most outspoken Republican critics of Trump’s foreign policy and transparency issues during Trump’s second term.
Among the most significant points of contention was Massie’s co-sponsorship of legislation demanding the Department of Justice release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Massie has repeatedly accused the Justice Department of withholding information tied to Epstein and alleged the Trump Administration has failed to fully comply with federal disclosure requirements.
In an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Massie claimed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was violating the law by failing to release additional records related to Epstein.
“We know from talking to the victims’ lawyers that their own 302 forms haven’t been released,” Massie continued. “We know that files have been over-redacted.”
Massie also claimed he had personally released the names of several wealthy individuals allegedly connected to Epstein documents.
Trump, who associated socially with Epstein decades ago but has denied any knowledge of his crimes, has attacked Massie publicly as tensions between the two reached new heights.
The president singled out Massie in a lengthy Memorial Day Truth Social post criticizing Republicans he views as “disloyal” or insufficiently supportive of his agenda.
“I laugh at all of the Dumocrats, RINOS, and Fools,” Trump wrote, before specifically attacking “really bad Congressman Thomas Massie, a major sleazebag who lost in a landslide to a great American Patriot.”
Trump also targeted Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and retiring Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina in the same message.
Massie additionally drew Trump’s ire over opposition to military escalation in Iran, continuing his longstanding skepticism toward foreign intervention and expanded executive war powers.
Throughout his congressional career, Massie built a reputation as one of the House GOP’s most independent and ideologically rigid members, often voting against party leadership on spending bills, surveillance programs, military intervention and federal authority issues.
Supporters view Massie as one of the few Republicans consistently committed to constitutional limitations, civil liberties and fiscal conservatism regardless of political pressure.
Critics inside the GOP, on the other hand, have frequently accused him of prioritizing ideological purity over party unity and practicality while obstructing Republican priorities during key legislative battles.
The primary loss also reflects Trump’s continued dominance within Republican politics, particularly in GOP primaries where his endorsements remain enormously influential.
Massie’s defeat seemed to demonstrate the political risks faced by Republicans who openly challenge Trump during his second presidency.
Whether he ultimately attempts a political comeback, seeks another office or positions himself as part of a post-Trump wing of the Republican Party remains unclear.
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