Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), one of President Donald Trump's most vocal critics on Capitol Hill, was leading in his primary election to maintain his seat in Congress.
The rebel Republican has targeted Trump and his administration in a push to seek justice for survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and a new poll from Quantus Insights released Thursday showed that Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District race had Massie ahead by nine points, with more than 46 percent of support compared to Trump-endorsed candidate Ed Gallrein, who had 37 percent, The Daily Beast reported. Fourteen percent of people polled said they were undecided, and could make a key difference in deciding the primary on May 19.
Trump has been attacking Massie throughout the campaign in deep red MAGA country and spoke on March 11 at a campaign event promoting his support for Gallrein.
"Our polling shows Thomas Massie with a clear advantage in KY-4. He has the stronger ballot position, the deeper reservoir of prior support, and a district electorate that appears more open to independence than simple allegiance politics," Quantus Insights reported.
"While having a less than 10-point lead is not ideal for an incumbent, they noted it’s still a strong position in a two-candidate race," according to The Beast.
Massie's challenger could be facing a tough battle ahead of the primary.
Nearly 50 percent of voters polled in the Kentucky district said they wanted an independent candidate "who stands for his principles, while just 37 percent wanted one who strongly supports Trump," The Beast reported.
"It suggests this is not an electorate looking simply for obedience or alignment. It is an electorate that still has room for a self-willed, independent conservative and that is precisely the identity Massie has cultivated for years," according to Quantus Insights.