We Visited Thomas Massie’s District: Reactions to His ‘No’ Vote on Funding.

This marks the first part of a two-part series examining congressmen who broke from party lines regarding the recent funding bill. The second part will spotlight Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), who voted for the continuing resolution to fund the government, counter to the stance of all other House Democrats.

At that time, just three months before Massie’s primary, Trump urged Republican leaders to expel him from the party. Massie insisted he sought a recorded vote “to ensure our republic doesn’t die by unanimous consent in an unoccupied chamber.”

State Rep. Steven Doan, one of several Republican state lawmakers closely associated with Massie as part of the Kentucky Liberty Caucus, remarked to The Epoch Times that Massie “embodies true conservatism.” In contrast, he described the former president as a “populist.”

“These two ideologies don’t always align,” added Doan, who also leads a law firm.

Some constituents in Kentucky’s conservative Fourth District are exploring the possibility of ousting Massie, although a few preferred to remain anonymous.

A former state representative claimed that Massie is “completely open to being challenged and possibly unseated” if the right opponent emerges.

Ed Massey, who lost his seat in 2022 to Massie ally Steve Rawlings, currently a state senator, lost his second attempt for the position in 2024 to a different key member of the Liberty Caucus, attorney, and current State Rep. T.J. Roberts.

Claire Wirth, who lost the 2022 GOP primary to Massie, noted that Trump might have learned a lesson from his endorsement of her campaign.

“He likely expected to cultivate loyalty with Thomas Massie,” Wirth, who now serves as a regional director for the Kentucky Federation of Republican Women, shared with The Epoch Times. She added that Massie “was never going to support Trump.”

In light of the recent conflict, a significant primary challenge to Massie may be looming, with insiders frequently mentioning state Rep. Kim Moser and state Sen. Chris McDaniel as potential challengers.

However, a visit to Massie’s district revealed a steadfast loyalty to the congressman, who has held office since 2012.

Past attempts to unseat the MIT-educated engineer have largely failed, often by wide margins. In the 2020 Republican primary, occurring just months after Trump criticized Massie for his COVID-19 vote, the incumbent captured 81 percent of the votes compared to 19 percent for his opponent, attorney Todd McMurtry.

Roberts commented to The Epoch Times that the president “needs to reconsider who advised him that targeting Thomas Massie would be a wise strategy.”

He predicted that Massie’s opponent in 2026 would cater to the special interests in Washington.

“It’s not likely to be a close race,” Roberts remarked.

On the Ground in Massie’s District

First elected to Congress in 2012, Massie represents a long stretch of northern Kentucky along the Ohio River, encompassing a significant portion of the state’s outer Bluegrass region. “Massie country” extends from the outskirts of Louisville through the southern suburbs of Cincinnati to Lewis and Greenup counties, nestled in the Appalachian foothills.

During a visit to the Fourth District, it was evident that many Kentuckians remain loyal to their congressman.

A man named Squirrel, managing the register at a gas station in Walton, Kentucky, told The Epoch Times that he admires Trump greatly, but prefers Massie. He characterized the former president as a dealmaker—someone capable of getting things accomplished—but expressed that Massie is less inclined to compromise the welfare of his constituents.

Sam Markstein, spokesperson for the Republican Jewish Coalition, stated that the organization “will play a pivotal role alongside President Trump in supporting a viable candidate to defeat Massie.” The Jewish Insider was the first to report this update.

A Republican volunteer within the district, who chose to remain unnamed, mentioned to The Epoch Times that Massie’s views on Israel could present “a genuine vulnerability for someone like him.”

“We’re very evangelical,” the Republican volunteer emphasized.

Conversely, the incumbent benefitted from nearly $560,000 from the Protect Freedom PAC, backed by libertarian TikTok investor Jeff Yass and the fiscally prudent Club for Growth.

Outside a grocery store in Garrison, Kentucky, Doc Wilburn was raking leaves in the parking lot and gesturing toward Massie’s off-grid homestead a few miles away. Massie, whose late wife also attended MIT, powers his home with a repurposed Tesla Model S battery.

“Everyone knows him. He’s really friendly,” Wilburn remarked to The Epoch Times.

About 25 miles west of Garrison, in Kehoe’s Dixie Café located in Tollesboro, Kentucky, most of the men dining at what the sign dubbed the “Liars Table” shared with The Epoch Times their favorable opinions of Massie, although a few noted his absence in Tollesboro of late. One dissenting man, who had significant concerns about the congressman, preferred not to disclose his identity.

Danny Hornback expressed support for Massie’s pursuit of reducing the deficit.

Alan Bane sat across from Hornback, who called him: “My best basketball coach in high school, and the best teacher.”

Bane endorses Massie, but also advocates for aid to Israel, which he was unaware Massie opposed. The congressman’s fiscal principles underpin his resistance to all foreign aid, including that directed toward Israel.

At the opposite end of the district, Blaine Anderson, chair of the Oldham County GOP, sat in One Nineteen West Main Restaurant in La Grange, Kentucky. The retired hospitality worker who now drives buses for the local school district explained to The Epoch Times why he trusts Massie.

Anderson noted that the congressman articulates the reasoning behind his occasionally contentious votes in Congress, including his refusal to support funding for Israel’s Iron Dome.

“He can justify his votes,” Anderson asserted, adding that Massie demonstrates how special interests sway significant committees during Lincoln Day dinners with local Republicans.

Despite the locals in Tollesboro mentioning that Massie hadn’t been to their community recently, Jason Kinser, the owner of One Nineteen West Main and a member of the La Grange city council, recounted having seen Massie in his establishment.

“His favorite dish here is pork chops,” Kinser remarked.

Both Kinser and Anderson stressed their admiration for Massie’s integrity, with Kinser also acknowledging Trump’s advantages as a dealmaker.

The restaurateur stated that Massie’s opposition to the continuing resolution “would not dissuade me from voting for him again.”

Lisa Fields, a server at the restaurant, shared her perspective on Massie as well.

“I often disagree with him, but I appreciate how he disrupts the status quo and encourages people to pause for a moment,” she commented. “He’s the one who challenges the establishment.”

Fields, a registered Democrat, expressed that while some of Trump’s actions make her uneasy, she believes that by the end of his administration, “things will ultimately improve.”

Midway between La Grange and Tollesboro, in Covington, Kentucky, Shane Noem chairs the Kenton County Republican Party. Noem, a lobbyist with Roebling Solutions, shared his insights with The Epoch Times from his office that overlooks the Ohio River, with the Cincinnati skyline shimmering on the opposite side.

“It’s the economic powerhouse for the state,” Noem stated regarding the Kentucky region for which he advocates, which includes neighboring Boone and Campbell Counties.

Noem characterized Massie as “having his unique brand; one that stirs controversy but also offers a refreshing change for some.”

He pondered how the congressman would navigate his public dispute with Trump, who is currently the uncontested leader of the national Republican Party.

“Voters have consistently re-elected him, time and again,” Noem remarked about Massie.

Massie, the GOP

While Massie’s supporters and allies view him as a model of integrity who is not beholden to party pressures, some local GOP critics argue that this independence has drawbacks.

“He seems to harbor a certain disregard for the party,” the Republican volunteer stated, sharing with The Epoch Times that Massie’s grassroots campaign efforts are limited to a tight-knit group of libertarian supporters.

“It complicates collaboration when he doesn’t want to partner with you to expand the party’s influence locally.”

Doan, the state representative and Massie’s supporter, expressed uncertainty about whether Massie genuinely lacks that kind of grassroots engagement for the broader party.

“Thomas has certainly enlisted candidates and worked with individuals who knocked on doors,” he asserted. “We’re the face of the liberty movement for the average citizen.”

The Republican volunteer suggested that a credible challenger to Massie would need to be “someone with business credentials, polished, and capable of raising significant funds or appealing to specific groups that may hold a grudge.”

Opponents could include close Trump associates and pro-Israel factions, as well as certain local business interests.

Massey noted that the ideal candidate to run against Massie would be someone “who can collaborate with others.”

Roberts, too, doubts that Massie will encounter a formidable challenger in 2026.

“It’d be foolish to even consider challenging him,” he proclaimed.

The Epoch Times reached out to local Democrats and independents, but none responded by press time.

Jackson Richman contributed to this report.