The president of the Club for Growth says the conservative advocacy group is undecided about backing Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., in his primary race ahead of the 2026 midterms, The Hill reported Friday.
Club for Growth President David McIntosh said Thursday that the pro-growth, free-market PAC is rethinking its support of Massie despite previous strong backing.
"I don't really understand what Thomas has been doing recently, you know, siding with the Democrats all the time," McIntosh said at a press briefing, according to the report. "We haven't made any decisions there.
"We'll go through the normal process."
Retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein launched a primary challenge to Massie this week, carrying the full support of President Donald Trump, who has frequently blasted Massie for voting with Democrats rather than for the Republican agenda.
"Unlike 'lightweight' Massie, a totally ineffective LOSER who has failed us so badly, CAPTAIN ED GALLREIN IS A WINNER WHO WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN," Trump said in a social media post last week, before Gallrein announced his bid.
Trump's friction with Massie dates back to 2020, when Massie held up a COVID-19 relief bill. Trump called him a "third-rate grandstander" at the time.
Massie has since broken with Trump on spending, foreign aid, and tariffs, positioning himself as a libertarian purist.
Massie infuriated Trump with his opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to fund the president's second-term agenda.
The Club for Growth strongly supported the bill.
Massie's campaign shrugged off McIntosh's comments.
"In past elections donors have supported Thomas Massie through Club for Growth. This cycle a newly formed independent super PAC called Kentucky First is supporting his re-election," Massie's campaign told The Hill.
Massie boasts a 93% lifetime rating from Club for Growth.
Massie raised $768,000 from July through September — his strongest fundraising quarter yet — as he faces pressure from a super PAC aligned with Trump.
MAGA KY, a super PAC, is targeting Massie over his opposition to U.S. aid to Israel — spending nearly $500,000 so far and sitting on $1.5 million.
The group, led by Trump strategists Chris LaCivita and Tony Fabrizio, is funded by major pro-Israel donors Paul Singer, John Paulson, and a committee connected to Miriam Adelson.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.