GOP Rep. Thomas Massie finds himself on an island in his feud with Trump

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is uncovering fewer friends connected Capitol Hill successful his escalating feud with Donald Trump, with Republicans wary of taking sides against the almighty president.

As Massie has repeatedly bucked Trump connected some his domestic and foreign argumentation agendas, Trump’s governmental squad has launched a ace PAC aimed astatine booting Massie, a seven-term congressman, retired of office.

But astir Republicans privation small to bash with what is apt to beryllium a messy and pricey superior conflict successful Kentucky’s 4th District adjacent twelvemonth that pits their workfellow against Trump world.

Asked Tuesday by NBC News whether he’d support Massie successful a primary, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called it the “hardest question I had this morning,” prompting immoderate laughs from his enactment squad lasting down him.

“I’m a person of my enactment here, and the talker leads the incumbent extortion program. I got to marque definite everybody gets re-elected,” Johnson said. But helium besides added that helium “certainly understands the president’s vexation astir the workfellow you named, and helium and I speech astir that rather a bit.”

Other rank-and-file members echoed the sentiment. Rep. James Comer, Massie’s chap Kentucky Republican, said: “I effort to get on with my colleagues, but I definite privation to get on with the president.”

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who fended disconnected a MAGA-fueled superior challenger past year, said he’d alternatively steer wide of the fight.

“Teaming up to spell against President Trump? Yeah, no, that doesn’t dependable similar a winning ngo for me,” Gonzales said. “I’ll beryllium this 1 out, boys. You each fto maine cognize however it goes.”

And adjacent Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio — who, similar Massie, opposed Trump’s strikes connected Iran implicit the play and his “big, beauteous bill” connected the House level past period — was cautious not to take sides.

“I similar some of them,” Davidson said. “So I anticipation they get on better.”

The predicament is that portion Republicans mostly privation to enactment a workfellow who is coming nether attack, they besides spot small upside to angering Trump.

In addition, Massie has agelong been a nuisance for Republican leaders successful Congress. This twelvemonth alone, helium has voted against Johnson’s speakership bid, the party’s sweeping domestic argumentation package and a government backing bill. Now, helium is inactive reserving the close to unit a level ballot connected a warfare powers solution if the ceasefire woody betwixt Israel and Iran doesn’t hold.

And his scorched-earth tactics successful his combat with Trump aren’t helping him triumph implicit allies, either. On Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance posted connected X: “I wonderment if different VPs had arsenic overmuch excitement arsenic I do.”

Massie replied to the post: “Ask Mike Pence astir his past month” — an evident notation to the Jan. 6, 2021, onslaught connected the U.S. Capitol erstwhile Trump supporters called for Pence to beryllium hanged.

So far, Massie’s astir vocal protagonist successful the GOP is Sen. Rand Paul, different Kentucky Republican who has besides been a thorn successful Trump’s side.

“He’s the astir faithful to the Constitution of immoderate of the members of the House. He’s fiscally conservative, and I deliberation helium cares a batch astir Kentucky,” Paul said of Massie. “And I deliberation that’s what they’ll retrieve erstwhile they ballot for him.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP’s run arm, typically doesn’t get progressive successful primaries, but it has resources disposable for incumbents. Outside groups similar the Congressional Leadership Fund could get progressive successful primaries if they choose, but they thin to walk their resources connected battleground races that volition find the House majority. It’s besides not antithetic for idiosyncratic lawmakers to spot successful donations to colleagues successful pugnacious races.

Massie sounded unbothered by Johnson’s deficiency of committedness to supporting him. “Whether he’s for maine oregon against me, the results are astir apt the same,” helium said.

For the libertarian-minded Massie, being connected an land — and the taxable of Trump’s attacks — is thing new.

Trump encouraged a superior situation to Massie successful 2020 aft helium voted against a Covid alleviation package, but a superior contender ne'er emerged. Massie that twelvemonth handily defeated a GOP superior hostile who tried to align himself with Trump, adjacent though Trump didn’t marque an endorsement, a triumph that Massie argued gave him “Trump antibodies” successful his solidly reddish district. Trump adjacent went connected to endorse Massie for re-election 2 years later.

Massie told NBC News that immoderate of his caller “sassy with Massie” societal media posts astir Trump person earned him immoderate backstage fist bumps from Republicans.

Massie has besides sought to capitalize financially disconnected of Trump’s attacks, saying that implicit the past 24 hours, helium has raised $140,000 from 1,648 donors.

While Massie sounded assured helium could spell up against Trump, helium besides acknowledged he’d similar not to person Trump pouring successful resources against him. Asked whether helium sees an off-ramp to the feud, helium quipped: “I’m looking for a ceasefire.”

So far, lone 1 Republican — Niki Lee Ethington — has filed to tally successful the superior successful the 4th District. According to her run website, Ethington is simply a registered caregiver who graduated successful 2021 and hasn’t held nationalist office.

Republicans deliberation that if Trump continues to marque him a apical people and is capable to enlistee a formidable challenger, it could beryllium a occupation for Massie.

“His endorsement is going to marque oregon interruption you successful the Republican Party,” said Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla. “It’s astir his spot and who helium wants to spouse with.”

Asked whether helium was committed to moving for re-election, Massie suggested helium was dug in: “If they would conscionable discontinue hitting me, I mightiness get bored and springiness up, but I americium not going to lose. I bash not lose.”