Posted on 06/23/2025 3:12:53 AM PDT by RandFan
President Trump's political operation has launched an aggressive effort to unseat Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, its first such effort to defeat a sitting Republican incumbent, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: By going after Massie, Trump's team is looking to put wayward Republicans on notice that they're ready to play hardball.
Massie has attacked Trump over his strike on Iran, saying on X that it was "not Constitutional," prompting the president to fire back on Truth Social that the congressman is "not MAGA." He also called Massie "weak, ineffective" and "disrespectful to our great military, and all that they stand for."
Massie was one of two House Republicans to vote against Trump's "big beautiful bill" last month, leading Trump to declare that he should be "voted out of office."
Zoom out: Trump's $500 million political apparatus is the most powerful, well-funded force in American politics — and gives Trump a weapon with which to target any lawmaker who crosses him.
(Excerpt) Read more at axios.com ...
And also to your district’s constituents...
If his district is anti-war, then he is acting the way his constituents want him to do so. If Trump is going after Massie, it’s a waste of resources. Like others have stated...go after Democrats, not someone who is likely going to vote your way 80% of the time.
Absolutely.
Robert Barnes also suggests putting Massie in in place of Big Ag/Big Food, stupid stooge Brooke Rollins to run the Dept of Ag because he’s so good on issues for small farmers—and so not a sellout.
That would get him out of Trump’s hair legislatively if he really is so upset with how Massie votes.
But Trump’s narcissism seems to have him especially intolerant of principled legislators, such as Rand also used to be.
Dems go after our folks - why shouldn’t we go after the RINOs?
Naw, that’s one PAC I won’t contribute to. If it was to try to oust Schumer or Ditzy [AOC] or Murkowski that would be worth a few bucks.
Trump’s mandate is to obliterate and drain.
Any Republicans get too close to looking like an enemy to Trump by his voters who had to go through Deep State and Swamp spying on Trump, two hoax impeachments on Trump, stolen election of Trump’s, weaponized lawfare of Trump, Swamp Congressional delays of Trump’s MAGA agenda, Swamp Court impediments and usurpations of Trump, may find their political careers and dynasties obliterated and drained..
Bigger names than Massie have been targeted for political obliteration and draining at Trump’s hands..
Some used to be heroes here, too.
i don’t like the idea.
Massie is more of a libertarian and has always been isolationist. Massie has never been a consistent conservative.
better to ignore massie and campaign against neocon globalists like Lindsay Graham.
I don’t know if i would contribute in such a primary.
Democratic Underground and Reddit must be loving this.
Amen.
But Trump’s narcissism seems to have him especially intolerant of principled legislators
As his term progresses, Trump does not seem to respect those with different prospectives. A terrible flaw. Agree to disagree and make your point, Donald
There is also this:
I think the issue is not that simple. His district does not exist in a vacuum. There is no war in progress. An action was taken to remove a nuclear threat from an enemy nation which has threatened the USA and killed many Americans.
Massie’s district will rise & fall with the rest of America depending on whether USA is able to attract businesses, rebuild our economy and decouple from enemy nations such that our supply chains are robust. It’s not business as usual and any congress critter that thwarts forward process, be it imperfect or not, is the enemy.
By all means give your opinion in chambers, debate, discuss, argue for your point of view but don’t grandstand or try and fracture the cohesiveness of Congress. For once growup & work together for the sake of the Country.
Could we deploy him to the UN? Worked for Nikki Haley.
He’s actually desperately needed at Ag: Rollins is a disaster.
He is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet I had a couple of conversations with him circa 2011 when he was running for Congress or going to
You know nothing about him .
I have to agree but I was hoping he could be somewhere he couldn’t screw up. I like your idea of promotion to relative obscurity.
Rollins did a good job thwarting new world screw worm. Biden had seven months prior and did nothing.
“Establishing a New World Screwworm Sterile Fly Barrier Zone in Mexico to Prevent the Further Northern Movement of the Wild Fly to the United States”
8 human cases confirmed of flesh eating screw worm in Mexico
She lies embarrassingly about our poisoned food supply. Just a lackey for Big Food. Pathetic.
Problem is not re niceness, nor having principles. The issue is that he is terrible at understanding strategy and prioritization.
It is important to triage every situation, determine the possibilities, the pros, cons, and costs. With the end goals in mind determine what moves forward toward the overall goal even if there is a sidewards component or if one aspect is temporarily worsened.
Rigidity, intransigence, unwillingness to compromise are other aspects of the problem. If you are so set on your own ideas, ideas which haven’t worked or haven’t been able to attract support, that you cannot consider other paths you are a problem, not part of the solution. If you try to attack proposals of the caucus publicly to create pressure and obstruct rather than working with your caucus you’re worse than an obstructionist.
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