US Rep. Thomas Massie's GOP primary in Kentucky is the latest test of Trump's power over the party

CRESTWOOD, Ky. (AP) — Republican voters in northern Kentucky will choose between U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie and challenger Ed Gallrein in Tuesday's House primary, another test of President Donald Trump's power over his party after he handpicked Gallrein to take on the incumbent.

The primary race turned white hot in the final stretch. Massie brought in a phalanx of other Republicans, including Rep. Lauren Boebert, in an attempt to show voters that they could support both him and Trump. Trump ratcheted up his social media attacks on Massie, calling him “an obstructionist and a fool,” and Gallrein shared a stage with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday.

Trump has tightened his grip on the Republican Party in his second term, successfully purging those who deviate from his agenda, but Massie is one of the last and most outspoken holdouts. A Massie defeat on Tuesday would serve as one of the most powerful demonstrations yet of Trump’s influence over Republican voters.

The matchup between the congressman, who has been in office since 2012, and a first time candidate running on his loyalty to Trump has become the most expensive U.S. House primary in history.

Massie challenged the president last year to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, which became a political drag for the White House. He has also criticized the war in Iran and refused to vote for Trump's signature tax legislation over concerns that it would increase the national debt.

Trump visited Kentucky to boost Gallrein in March. The president has had a string of success defeating dissenters in his party, pushing to oust Sen. Bill Cassidy in Louisiana and several Indiana state senators who defied him on redistricting.

The winner of Tuesday's primary is expected to take the general election in the deeply red 4th Congressional District, which stretches along the state's northernmost border.

Republicans statewide will also choose their nominee to replace Mitch McConnell, the longtime U.S. Senate leader, in a contest that represents a generational changing of the guard for the party. Rep. Andy Barr, endorsed by Trump, faces Daniel Cameron, a former state attorney general.

Massie's challenge is to win over voters who generally think favorably of Trump, the same man telling them to vote for Gallrein. It's not the first Republican primary Trump has tried to sway, but Massie's overt rebelliousness has been a particular challenge to the president.

Gallrein, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL, embraced the role Trump gave him, focusing his pitch to voters on his personal history and unwavering loyalty to the president. Massie, he argued, betrayed Trump and the party.

Hegseth made a visit to the district Monday to boost Gallrein and lambast Massie, a break from tradition that came while the nation is at war. Hegseth said he was speaking “as a private citizen.”

Some voters were already fed up with Massie bucking the party.

George Scherzer, who lives in the small town of Crestwood, Kentucky, supported Massie in past elections but didn’t like the congressman’s lack of support on some of the president’s agenda, including last year’s tax and spending bill, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill.

“Some of his votes just did not make sense to me,” he said.

Massie has argued that voters do not have to choose between Trump and him, noting that he voted with his party the vast majority of the time. As for the remainder, he said those were on proposals that violated his America First principles such as adding to the national debt and getting into military entanglements, such as the war with Iran.

Massie has voted against U.S. aid to Israel and has faced accusations of antisemitism. He has denied the charges, arguing he's generally against all foreign aid. But the race has drawn in millions of dollars against him from pro-Israel interest groups, including from the Republican Jewish Coalition Victory Fund.

That's become a stump topic for Massie, who says the attempt to oust him is to send a warning to other lawmakers who oppose the president or aid to Israel.

In a pitch to Kentucky Republicans, Boebert posted photos both of her with Massie and with Trump on X, and wrote, “I support both of these men.” Replying to Boebert's message on X, Massie said, “she likes both Trump and me! Yes it’s possible!!”

Trump lashed out at Boebert on Truth Social, asking for a Republican to challenge her even though the filing deadline in her home state of Colorado has already passed. “Anybody that dumb deserves a good Primary fight!” he wrote.

Barr and Cameron have tiptoed around their relationship with McConnell, who they previously worked under.

McConnell criticized Trump over the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and more recently voted against some of his Cabinet picks. He is stepping down after he becoming the longest serving Senate leader in American history, coinciding with a transformation of the party under Trump.

Many Republicans, while admiring McConnell's achievements, see him as out of step with the Make America Great Again and America First movements spawned by Trump. Both Barr and Cameron have taken note, and while ingratiating themselves to the president have put some distance between themselves and McConnell.

Former Kentucky Attorney General and candidate for U.S. Senate Daniel Cameron speaks on stage during the Kenton County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Covington, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Rep. Andy Barr, R-KY, a Trump-endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks to guests of the Kenton County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Covington, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Republican Kentucky candidates for U.S. Senate Daniel Cameron and Andy Barr shake hands during the Kenton County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Covington, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Republican congressional candidate for Kentucky, Ed Gallrein, speaks on stage during the Kenton County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Covington, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY, speaks to reporters after a Kentucky Educational Television (KET) debate, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 41 points and 24 rebounds, Dylan Harper finished with 24 points and a team playoff-record seven steals, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 in a double-overtime classic to open the Western Conference finals Monday night.

Wembanyama sealed it with a pair of dunks in the final minute, one of them leading to a three-point play as the Spurs stole home-court advantage and beat the Thunder for the fifth time in six meetings this season.

Stephon Castle had 17 points, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson each scored 13 and Julian Champagnie added 11 for the Spurs, who were without De’Aaron Fox because of ankle stiffness.

“A great effort — from everybody,” said Wembanyama, who, at 22 years, 134 days, became the youngest player with at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was 22 years, 343 days when he had a 40/20 game in the 1970 NBA Finals.

Alex Caruso scored 31 points, the second-highest scoring game of his career, off the bench for the Thunder — whose nine-game playoff winning streak dating to Game 7 of last season's Finals was snapped.

Jalen Williams returned from a six-game absence caused by a hamstring strain and scored 26 points for the Thunder, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — on the night he got his second straight Most Valuable Player trophy — had 24 points and 12 assists but shot 7 for 23.

It was the sixth Game 1 in NBA playoff history to go into double overtime — the first since a Spurs-Warriors game in 2013.

And as the clock ticked toward midnight, Wembanyama decided enough was enough.

Game 2 is Wednesday at Oklahoma City.

“It was a war of wills,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “The levels of mental toughness exuded by both teams ... we needed every second from everybody that played.”

The Spurs were up by 10 with 9:10 left in regulation, wasted it all, then survived a frantic final stretch where the lead changed hands twice and the game was tied three times in a span of less than two minutes.

Wembanyama had an off-balance chance to win it on the last play of regulation, but Chet Holmgren swatted it away. In overtime, Wembanyama more than atoned — connecting on a tying 3-pointer from well behind the arc with 28 seconds left to tie the game and send it to a second OT.

“We have to get better from this game,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

Gilgeous-Alexander had his worst first half, shooting-wise, in nearly three years — 1 for 5 from the field, four points. It was the first time since Oct. 29, 2023, a span of 270 appearances including playoffs, that he didn't have at least two field goals before halftime.

Meanwhile, Wembanyama was doing whatever he wanted — dunking over trios of defenders, flexing at times, finishing the half with 14 points and 10 rebounds, looking perfectly comfortable in his debut on this stage.

And the Spurs' lead was only seven at the break, 51-44.

Gilgeous-Alexander got a couple shots to fall in the third, and the Thunder even briefly reclaimed the lead. But the Spurs were unfazed and the margin was still seven. San Antonio was ahead 80-73 going into the fourth.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2), guard Luguentz Dort (5), San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and guard Stephon Castle (5) react after a foul call during the second half of Game 1 in a third-round NBA basketball playoffs series Monday, May 18, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) falls on Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the second half of Game 1 in a third-round NBA basketball playoffs series Monday, May 18, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) blocks a shot by San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) during the first half of Game 1 in a third-round NBA basketball playoffs series Monday, May 18, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates with guard Devin Vassell (24) during the second overtime of Game 1 in a third-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday, May 18, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates after a dunk during the second overtime of Game 1 in a third-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday, May 18, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)