President Donald Trump’s grip on the Republican party will be tested again in Kentucky’s primary Tuesday where he’s trying to oust longtime nemesis Rep. Thomas Massie.
In what’s been deemed Trump’s monthlong “revenge tour,” the president has successfully sunk the reelection campaigns of members of his own party who have refused his demands, including several Indiana state lawmakers and Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy.
Massie would be the ultimate trophy in Trump’s payback crusade. The House member has been a growing thorn in Trump’s side for years, opposing the Iran war, aid to Israel and pressing for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Trump endorsed Massie’s opponent and former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein as both sides poured tens of millions of dollars into what has been billed the most expensive House primary in history.
A Massie loss could essentially quash any internal GOP dissension as he moves into the lame-duck phase of his presidency. A win, however, could embolden Massie and other internal critics, further deepening intraparty fractures as Trump’s approval rating slumps.
Although Trump got his revenge on Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican said he isn’t planning on striking back — yet.
Cassidy — facing his own lame-duck future after a stunning loss Saturday — seemed to set himself up as a potential White House adversary during his concession speech, hitting Trump with veiled criticisms. The two-term senator chairs the powerful Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions panel and sits on the Senate Finance panel, putting him in a position of veto power over key nominees.
And in interviews with reporters Monday, Cassidy declined to say how he’d handle tricky upcoming votes on the Iran war or an immigration enforcement bill.
Still, Cassidy batted down any suggestion he is now liberated to challenge Trump head-on, and he largely avoided addressing Trump directly.
“Am I going to deliberately push back on things? No, I’m going to do what’s good for my country and my state,” he said.
Cassidy also made a general pitch for Washington to be more bipartisan.
“I’m trying to give a better vision of how we should do things. Do you realize that it’s hard to get anything done now?” Cassidy replied when asked if he’s frustrated with Trump.
“We need to have leadership supporting unity,” he said.
What else we’re watching:
— DEM CAUCUSES BLOW UP BIPARTISAN BILLS: Key Democratic caucuses announced their opposition to two formerly “bipartisan” bills Monday evening, effectively killing the prospects for SCORE Act passage this week and narrowing the path for another measure. The Congressional Black Caucus yesterday stated its members would unanimously reject the SCORE ACT, a college athletics regulation bill. Republican leaders later Monday night told members they’d have to pull the SCORE Act from the floor schedule as support from across their own conference was also soft.
— BLANCHE TESTIFIES AS ‘SLUSH’ FUND, EPSTEIN ROILS DEMS — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s testimony Tuesday could be a watershed moment for his chances of leading the agency on a more permanent basis. Blanche may use a Senate appropriations subpanel hearing to defend his more controversial moves while leading the Justice Department. The DOJ Monday unveiled a $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to pay claims to people Blanche called “victims of lawfare and weaponization.” Democrats pounced on what they called a “slush fund,” arguing Trump may reward his own allies and defendants convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Alex Gangitano, Riley Rogerson, Meredith Lee Hill and Hailey Fuchs contributed to this report.
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