The PAC buys and attacks against Congressman Thomas Massie are about sending a message. The One Big Beautiful Bill can not lose any more support in Congress, and Massie needs to be made an example of.
This approach is a colossal mistake that will permanently hamstring Trump for the next three years and almost guarantee a Democrat majority after the 2026 elections.
How Massie is voting and behaving is not new. His first year in Congress he sponsored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to stop Obama from being able to bomb Egypt. He co-sponsored a resolution to stop Biden from bombing Yemen. His resolution has nothing to do with Trump and has everything to do with his dislike of bombing countries. You can disagree and say he’s wrong, but it would not be accurate to say this has to do with some sort of hate for Trump.
There are two type of Republicans. Those who believe that if something doesn’t change America is going bankrupt in the next 10-12 years and those who don’t. If you are a Republican who believes something has to change the Big Beautiful Bill is awful.
This might be the last shot Republicans are going to get over the next decade . Nothing important or controversial will be passed next year as everyone will be worried about winning their races. History would tell us that the Republicans will most likely lose the House in 2026, so nothing will pass from 2026-2028. Then in 2028 there is no guarantee that Republicans win the presidency.
There is no way to bind future congresses to a law. If Congress wants to do something that conflicts with an old law they just change it. When people like Scott Bessent talk about a ten year plan, to some Republicans it falls on deaf ears. We don’t have ten years guaranteed. If you’re the type of person walking around with a debt clock on (like Massie does), of course the One Big Beautiful Bill isn’t going to be acceptable. You believe the country is headed for bankruptcy.
You have every right to disagree with Massie and no one is 100% right, but it is wrong to think any of this has to do with some hate for Trump. Everyone is only paying attention to Massie doing what he has always done because the Republican Majority is so small.
Massie does get things done, just not always with his name on it. When he has a good idea that he builds support for, Leadership takes it from him and has someone else pass it. Does it matter whose name was on the bill? Massie wrote it, got support for it, and it became law.
What should Republicans be doing instead of spending time, treasure, and talent on replacing Massie?
We should be focusing on growing the Majority, and this fight is actually making that harder.
In the same way the Democrat Socialist represents the counterculture young Democrat voters are inspired by, Conservative Libertarianism is the counterculture ideology that young Republican voters are drawn to.
What happens to them in 2026 when they see people spending millions going after Massie?
Republicans across the country need these young true believers as volunteers and voters. This running them out of the party. It is not like Massie is voting for abortion, or taking away guns, or transitioning kids. His positions are reasonable ones for a Conservative to have. The main attack is that he is too inflexible and too principled.
Don’t spend millions going after Massie, instead spend millions winning over purple seats and turning out this broad coalition Trump has built.
If Trump thinks dealing with Massie is bad, wait till he ends up having to deal with a Democrat House.
Andrew Cooperrider is a conservative radio, TV, and podcast host who focuses on Kentucky politics.