Conservative mindset’ In the northern Kentucky city of Covington, Rob Barkley — a disillusioned former Trump supporter — said the president’s attacks had only made him more supportive of Massie. “He’s on the Republican side so he has a conservative mindset,” Barkley told CNN after casting his ballot. “But he’s not as far-right leaning as Trump’s politics.” Massie — who has voted with Trump around 90 percent of the time so far in the president’s second term — cast the race as a test of
independence inside the Republican Party. “I’m not running against President Trump. Most of the people voting for me support President Trump like I do,” Massie told Fox News. Hegseth made his unusual appearance in Massie’s district on Monday to campaign for Gallrein. It is against the law for federal employees to engage in partisan political activity while on duty, but Hegseth’s office said he was acting in a personal capacity and that no taxpayer funds would be used. Trump later revealed that the Pentagon chief’s
time out from his official duties came just hours before the United States was expecting to launch a new military assault on Iran, although hostilities were ultimately postponed. The Kentucky showdown came after Trump allies routed state lawmakers in Indiana who resisted his redistricting demands, and after Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy — who voted to convict Trump following his impeachment over the 2021 US Capitol riot — failed to make a runoff over the weekend. Elsewhere Tuesday, Georgia voters are choosing candidates in Senate and
gubernatorial primaries, but the state’s supreme court races may provide the clearest bellwether in the key swing state. Democrats are trying to unseat two incumbent justices in contests that have drawn endorsements from Barack Obama and other party heavyweights. No incumbent Georgia supreme court justice has lost reelection in more than a century. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Trump, Thomas Massie, Republican primary, Covington Kentucky, Rob Barkley, Pete Hegseth, Gallrein, Indiana redistricting, Bill Cassidy, Georgia Supreme Court, Barack Obama endorsements, Iran assault postponed