Massie's Torch is Passed

After fourteen years of exemplary service in the United States House of Representatives, on Tuesday, May 19th, Thomas Massie lost to a primary challenger. A range of interests contributed to both candidates, sinking a full $32 million into this race, making it the most expensive primary in our Republic’s history. Massie had come to be known for his streak of independence from his party and President Trump, espousing an outlook which could be characterized as “America First. Certain interests seemingly preferred a more pliable Representative in the Kentucky 4th, one who would vote in lock-step with the President… which by definition means a representative who is not oriented towards America First.

Massie, who is an engineer and farmer by trade, was nominated for a special election following Rep. Geoffrey (Geoff) Davis’ resignation due to a medical emergency in his family. Massie had been serving then as judge executive in Lewis County, KY. He had come to the attention of James Ramsey, then a varsity student who had inherited a fortune from his grandfather. Ramsey contributed over 500K to the Liberty for All SuperPAC to assist Massie’s election. Dr. Rand Paul – freshly elected to the U.S. Senate from Kentucky in 2010 on the Tea Party Movement’s wings and momentum from his father Dr. Ron Paul’s popular rEVOLution from 2008 – also endorsed Massie, which proved decisive.

Massie has served on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, as well as the Judiciary Committee. He stood out from his congressional colleagues in that he discerned bills not just by whether they were “good ideas,” but whether the government could afford them. By Massie’s own reckoning, he voted with his party 93% of the time, but lately he deviated substantially from the Republican front. Against the issue of the dossier relating to Jeffrey Epstein, Massie demanded full disclosure, whereas President Trump, his administration and his toadies in the U.S. House of Representatives, wanted the issue swept under the carpet.

To that end, Massie’s opposition found a stand-in. The stand-in raised $3.2 million, and was assisted by the superPAC MAGA KY, Inc, which contributed $2.3 million. The Republican Jewish Coalition contributed 363K. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, another interest group, sank $9 million into the primary to assist the stand-in.

Massie raised $5.5 million, mostly in small donations. The Kentucky 4th PAC contributed $4.6 million to his campaign, and the Kentucky First PAC contributed 920K, but in the end, the opposition prevailed.

Thus, Massie’s opposition dumped cash into this race, presuming that Massie’s Republican constituents would simply shrug their shoulders and dutifully vote for the stand-in come the General Election, In effect, the opposition takes these constituents’ loyalty for granted, even owed. This is why they have the perfect opportunity to correct the opposition on this presumption!

Jeremy Todd is stepping into the race for the Kentucky 4th. He is a Libertarian and can be found and supported at www.jeremy-todd.com. In Congress he will continue Thomas Massie’s streak of independence in fidelity to the U.S. Constitution and the founding principles.

It is regrettable that the American public in general – and constituents of the Kentucky 4th in particular – lost a representative who dedicated his career to America First, even and especially when that goes against the incumbent president. Worse yet, it is disheartening that outside special interests cynically accomplished Massie’s ouster. But Appalachia knows its own, and native son Jeremy Todd is ready to pick up Massie’s torch and run!