Trump-backed veteran Ed Gallrein projected to take Kentucky House seat from Massie
The retired Navy SEAL won the GOP nomination in May after defeating the incumbent, and is now projected to hold the 4th District against a Democrat and a Libertarian.
By Julian Reed ·
Retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein is projected to win the Kentucky 4th Congressional District race, ending the tenure of Rep. Thomas Massie.
Decision Desk HQ called the race Tuesday evening as Gallrein led by 29 percentage points. The projection stood at 59 percent for Gallrein and 30 percent for his main opponent, Democrat Melissa Strange, with Libertarian candidate Jeremy Todd taking a small share of the vote. The count was final as of 6:20 p.m. EST.
Gallrein secured the Republican nomination in May by defeating Massie in the primary. He received 54.9 percent of the vote in that contest, while the incumbent captured 45.1 percent. President Donald Trump endorsed Gallrein and campaigned for him in the weeks before Election Day.
Massie, who served in the seat before this election, frequently clashed with the White House. He supported war powers resolutions to limit military actions in Iran and led efforts to compel the Department of Justice to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein. He also voted against spending bills backed by his own party.
Gallrein, a farmer and former special operations officer, aligned his platform with several of Trump’s priorities. His website lists support for completing the border wall and increasing funding for the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He also pledged to oppose what he termed a woke agenda.
Gallrein discussed his motivation for running in an interview with KET last month. He stated that Trump called him on October 17, 2025, and asked him to serve his district, the party, and the nation. Gallrein declared his candidacy four days later on October 21. He described the decision as a call to serve the people of the district.
When asked if he would pledge blind loyalty to the president, Gallrein said his allegiance lies with the Constitution and the Lord. He referenced his military oath and the congressional oath, noting that he answers to the people he serves. He described his loyalty as straightforward and tied to those two institutions.
Source: The Hill
