President Trump toppled key GOP foes in Tuesday's primaries, with leading dissenter Rep. Thomas Massie ousted by Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein in his Kentucky race.
That showdown — and Tuesday's other primary contests — demonstrated yet again that while the president's approval ratings might be plummeting (recently hitting a record low of 37%), his sway over the Republican Party remains unmatched.
Just two weeks ago, he exacted his revenge on five Indiana state senators who voted against his demands to redraw the state’s congressional maps, endorsing the challengers who defeated them. And on Saturday, a Trump-backed challenger took down Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted to impeach him in 2021.
Here's more on Massie's defeat, plus takeaways from Tuesday's other key races.
Massie loses in Kentucky's House race
Massie drew Trump's ire with his opposition on key issues like the Iran war, the "big beautiful bill," and the release of the Epstein files. Still, he stood his ground, running an unapologetic campaign in what turned out to be the most expensive House race in recent years.
Trump undoubtedly took the threat seriously, making a personal visit to Kentucky in March. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth even hit the campaign trail alongside former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein on Monday — a rare move during wartime — and urged voters to send Trump “reinforcements” in Congress ahead of the midterms.
“Thomas Massie is a terrible congressman," Trump said Tuesday. "He’s been a terrible congressman from day one. Dealing with him is just horrible. I don’t think he’s a Republican. I think he’s actually, I think he’s actually a Democrat.”
In the end, the president's influence proved pivotal, sealing a victory for Gallrein, who won 54% of the vote.
Trump decides Kentucky's Senate contest
President Trump endorsed Rep. Andy Barr, a heavy favorite for the general election, in Kentucky's Republican Senate race. He persuaded Elon Musk-backed businessman Nate Morris to withdraw his campaign with the promise of an ambassadorship, leaving just one meaningful opponent for Barr: Daniel Cameron, a longtime ally of Sen. Mitch McConnell. With the shine off Cameron after his loss against Democratic incumbent Andy Beshear in the 2023 governor’s race, it was an easy win for Barr.
Barr's nomination perfectly positions him to become Kentucky's next senator, replacing McConnell, who has consistently refused to back Trump's claim that the 2020 election was stolen.
Shapiro lays the groundwork for 2028?
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has never explicitly declared an intention to run for 2028, but if he were planning to enter the race, winning an uncontested Democratic nomination for a second term on Tuesday looks like a solid start.
Shapiro-endorsed Democrats Janelle Stelson, Bob Harvie, and Bob Brooks also won their primaries in swing districts on Tuesday.
“The only way we can expect to change this is to win in November and bring some accountability back to our nation’s capital,” Shapiro told a crowd on Tuesday. “Give me a Democratic majority in the Senate, and we will fully fund mass transit, we will build more housing, and we will codify abortion rights into state law.”
Shapiro heads toward November as the heavy favorite to defeat Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity. With Pennsylvania a key swing state, he's also on the front lines of Democratic efforts to retake Congress — the ideal opportunity to showcase his political strength and influence.
No one clears the threshold in Georgia's GOP Governor primary
The Republican race to replace Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is heading for a June 16 runoff. It's set to be a tough contest between Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Rick Jackson, a billionaire health care executive with zero government experience who has spent tens of millions of dollars of his own money on the race.
The Republicans' delay in nominating a candidate offers a boost to former Atlanta mayor and Biden administration official Keisha Lance Bottoms, who dominated the crowded Democratic primary to win well over 50% of the vote.
Take two in Alabama
Former Auburn football coach Sen. Tommy Tuberville won the Republican primary for governor on Tuesday, setting up a rematch with Democratic former Sen. Doug Jones in the race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Kay Ivey.
Tuberville and Jones have faced off before, in the state’s 2020 Senate race. Tuberville defeated Jones by over 20 percentage points, leaving him the clear favorite to succeed Ivy. He's a close ally of President Trump, and delivered a speech lambasting Muslims and immigrants on the Senate floor earlier this month.
Meanwhile, both the GOP and Democratic primaries to replace Tuberville are headed for June 16 runoffs. Trump-endorsed Rep. Barry Moore was at the front of the Republican pack on Tuesday, but fell short of the necessary 50% of the vote. He’ll face either Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall or former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson. On the Democratic side, attorney Everett Wess will take on pet care business owner Dakarai Larriett.
Trump endorses Paxton
The president endorsed Attorney General Ken Paxton in his May 26 Senate primary runoff against four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn — despite GOP fears that snubbing Cornyn endangers the seat.
Per the New York Times, Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota sighed "Oh boy" as he left the Senate chamber after hearing of Trump’s announcement, adding: “Well, obviously ... I support Senator Cornyn.”
