A Massie victory, Republican strategists say, would speak more to the district than to Trump’s influence Published May 14, 2026 6:30AM (EDT) U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks alongside former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) (R) during a news conference on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. (Heather Diehl / Getty Images) The primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, between Rep. Thomas Massie , R-Ky., and Ed Gallrein, his Trump-backed challenger, is not the test of President Donald Trump’s sway over Republicans some are billing it as. While a Gallrein victory would serve as proof of the president’s influence over the GOP and its voters, a victory for Massie might not be the generalizable sign of MAGA’s crackup that Trump’s opponents are hoping for. On May 19, voters in Kentucky’s 4th District will choose between two conservative Republicans, Massie and Gallrein, who are, on the surface, not all that different.…