Can this Republican withstand Trump’s wrath?

Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie has always been a pain in the ass. Whether it’s arguing with his high school physics teacher about standing up in class or voting against his own party in Congress, he’s done things his own way.

That defiant streak may end up costing him his seat. Donald Trump has set his sights on making this Massie’s last term, forcing him into a primary against the president’s hand-picked candidate, Ed Gallrein.

So what did he do to earn this ire? First, he worked with Democrats to force the Justice Department to release the Epstein files. Then, he voted against Trump’s One Big Beautiful bill, calling it a “debt bomb.” Finally, he accused Trump of striking Iran when there was no imminent threat.

Over the past year, the MIT-educated engineer has been the lone Republican in Congress willing to challenge a vengeful president. Now he’s locked in a nasty and expensive primary. But the election results may have as much to do with the conflict between Massie and his state’s Republican establishment. If Massie pulls this off, it will be a signal to other Trump loyalists that it might not be so bad to be defiant.