President Donald Trump shared a poll indicating Rep. Thomas Massie would lose a GOP primary contest to a candidate he backed after the House Republican was one of just two who voted against his Big Beautiful Bill when it passed the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Newsweek contacted Massie for comment via email on Friday outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
On Thursday the House passed the latest version of Trump’s One Big Beautiful Act by 218 votes against 214. Massie was one of two House Republicans who voted against the package, along with Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. He was also one of two GOP rebels who voted against an earlier version which the House passed in May, along with Ohio’s Warren Davidson.
Trump’s targeting of Kentucky representative Massie, who has opposed him over a number of issues including airstrikes on Iran and the U.S. debt ceiling, show’s the president’s determination to keep his own party in line. Trump branded Massie a “pathetic LOSER” after he opposed Trump’s Iran strikes in June.
What To Know
After the House vote on Thursday Trump shared a document emailed out by pollster McLaughlin & Associates on June 11 titled “Kentucky 4th Congressional District – Republican Primary Poll Summary” on his Truth Social website.
McLaughlin & Associates, a firm that has previously worked for Trump and was described as his “most trusted pollsters” by The Hill, said it surveyed 600 likely Republican primary voters between June 9 and 11 with a margin of error of plus or minus four percent. The company said the “geographic and demographic voter segments” reflected “a Republican primary universe.”
The poll found 54 percent of Republican primary voters had a favorable view of Massie, compared with 40 percent who viewed him unfavorably. Similarly 52 percent approved of his actions in Congress while 41 percent disapproved.
The survey found Massie would lose in a Republican primary to a Trump endorsed candidate, with just 23 percent of the vote to their 52 percent. Overall 85 percent of those polled said they had a favorable view of Trump while 15 percent viewed him unfavorably.
Respondents were told that “Thomas Massie was the only Republican in the House of Representatives who sided with the Democrats and voted against President Trump’s tax cut bill” after which 59 percent of the GOP primary voters said they would be less likely to vote for Massie, against 19 percent who stated they would be more likely.
Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” contains an array of tax and spending measures. Tax cuts Trump introduced in 2017 would be made permanent, while state and local tax deductions would increase from $10,000 to $40,000—primarily benefiting those living in high-tax states.
The bill also includes additional funding for border security and the military and cuts to Medicaid and food stamps. It passed the Senate on Tuesday thanks to Vice President JD Vance‘s tie-breaking vote.
What People Are Saying
McLaughlin & Associates wrote: “In the Republican primary Congressman Massie has made himself very vulnerable by his opposition to the President’s tax cut bill and has destroyed his Republican base of support.”
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Massie said: “Although there were some conservative wins in the budget reconciliation bill (OBBBA), I voted No on final passage because it will significantly increase U.S. budget deficits in the near term, negatively impacting all Americans through sustained inflation and high interest rates.”
What Happens Next
Having been narrowly approved by both chambers of Congress Trump will now be able to sign the Big Beautiful Bill into law.
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