Massie race breaks spending record as pro-Israel groups target Trump critic
Key takeaways
- Pro-Israel groups and donors spend heavily in Kentucky’s Republican primary to defeat US Congressman Thomas Massie.
- The avalanche of spending, totalling more than $34m by Monday, according to official records, highlights the significance of the elections that could oust one of the few Republican opponents to the war with Iran.
- In the final stretch of the campaign ahead of Tuesday’s vote, Massie has sought to highlight the oversized role of pro-Israel groups – including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) – in the race.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Pro-Israel groups and donors spend heavily in Kentucky’s Republican primary to defeat US Congressman Thomas Massie.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo US Congressional Representative Thomas Massie says his primary re-election bid on Tuesday will be a 'referendum' on United States foreign policy [File: Nathan Howard/Reuters]By Ali Harb Published On 18 May 202618 May 2026The race pitting a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump against Congressman Thomas Massie, a rare Republican critic of Israel, has become the most expensive House of Representatives primary contest in the history of the United States.
The avalanche of spending, totalling more than $34m by Monday, according to official records, highlights the significance of the elections that could oust one of the few Republican opponents to the war with Iran.