President Trump’s drive to exile one of his last remaining Republican critics in Congress has become the most expensive House primary contest in recent years, blitzing voters in northern Kentucky with pointed and sometimes ugly advertisements.
Nearly $33 million has been spent on ads and other media in the race between Representative Thomas Massie, an outspoken critic of the president on the Epstein files and the war with Iran, and his Trump-backed challenger, Ed Gallrein, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact. That’s the highest total spent on a House primary race since the firm started keeping track in 2018.
The Kentucky race is just one of several primary contests on Tuesday that will test the power of big money. Here’s a look, with help from AdImpact data and federal and state financial filings:
The must-watch House contest in Kentucky
Supporters of Mr. Trump, as well as pro-Israel groups that are unhappy with Mr. Massie over his opposition to the war with Iran, have spent heavily to defeat the congressman.
They and other advertisers have laid out nearly $19 million against Mr. Massie or in favor of Mr. Gallrein. Last summer, Mr. Trump’s aides even started a super PAC, MAGA KY, for the purpose of ousting Mr. Massie, drawing support from the Republican megadonor Paul Singer and a super PAC heavily funded by Miriam Adelson, another megadonor and supporter of Mr. Trump. Two pro-Israel groups, including one tied to the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spent over $9 million against him.
But Mr. Massie has had his own financial backing, including from a mysterious new super PAC that has spent $6.5 million in the final six weeks of the race. That group, Kentucky 4th PAC, has not disclosed any donors.
The race is also notable because the two sides have hurled A.I.-generated deepfake ads at each other. In one pro-Massie ad by Kentucky 4th PAC, Mr. Gallrein, a retired Navy SEAL, is depicted in an A.I. video leaving Mr. Trump on a battlefield.
In a pro-Gallrein ad by MAGA KY, an A.I.-produced Mr. Massie is depicted holding hands and later having a meal with Representatives Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Groups spent at least $1.7 million on deepfake ads that were collectively seen more than 49 million times, according to a New York Times analysis of AdImpact data as of Monday morning.
The messy Republican primary for Senate in Georgia
The party’s primary race for Senate in Georgia is also important: Whichever Republican emerges will take on Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, in one of this year’s top contests.
But so far on the financial front, it has been sleepier — in part because Mr. Trump has not endorsed a candidate in the race, and the top three Republican candidates have all emphasized that they support the president.
The candidates, Representatives Mike Collins and Buddy Carter and Derek Dooley, a former football coach, have each raised roughly $4 million, though Mr. Collins and Mr. Carter chipped in more money themselves. Super PAC activity has been relatively minimal, but a group aligned with Gov. Brian Kemp, Hardworking Americans Inc., has spent $2 million to help Mr. Dooley, the governor’s preferred candidate. The race is likely to go to a runoff.
The eventual winner will need national Republicans to parachute more cash into Georgia. Mr. Ossoff has raised nearly $60 million since 2025 through his main campaign committee, the largest sum of any Senate candidate this cycle.
The costly G.O.P. contest for governor in Georgia
The other race in Georgia has been the big-spending election. That’s the Republican primary for governor, in which Rick Jackson, a billionaire with no previous political experience, has contributed more than $83 million of his own money to his campaign.
That includes more than $217,000 in non-monetary contributions for things like legal services, meals and helicopter rides. Mr. Jackson has raised less than $300,000 for Tuesday’s election from donors other than himself.
One of his top rivals, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — who was endorsed by Mr. Trump months before Mr. Jackson entered the race — has also self-funded his campaign, loaning himself $19 million. He has raised $4.5 million in the primary.
The third major candidate, Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia secretary of state, lent himself $6.3 million and has raised $1.1 million.
The race is also expected to go to a runoff.
The Republican race in Kentucky to succeed Mitch McConnell
In Kentucky, where Republicans are holding a Senate primary for the seat of the retiring Senator Mitch McConnell, the heavy favorite is Representative Andy Barr, who won a late endorsement from Mr. Trump and has been a strong fund-raiser.
Mr. Barr has drawn $16.5 million in super PAC support and pulled more than $8.1 million into his main campaign committee.
Mr. Barr had faced a well-funded challenge from Nate Morris, a businessman and political neophyte backed by Elon Musk, who put $10 million into a super PAC supporting Mr. Morris. But Mr. Musk’s effort fizzled, and Mr. Morris recently dropped out of the race.
The G.O.P. primary that will (probably) choose Alabama’s next senator
In Alabama, Republicans are choosing their nominee to seek the seat of Senator Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor instead.
Representative Barry Moore is the favorite, thanks to his endorsement from Mr. Trump. He has also enjoyed about $6.8 million in spending from a group affiliated with Fairshake, the main super PAC for the cryptocurrency industry and one of the biggest spenders in the midterms.
Theodore Schleifer is a Times reporter covering billionaires and their impact on the world.
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