Massie Campaign’s Election Day Scam: Texts KY-4 Voters Fake Trump Endorsement Using 2022 Statement — “Paid for by Thomas Massie for Congress
Thomas Massie’s campaign is pulling a slick one on Election Day in Kentucky’s 4th District.
Voters started receiving text messages that prominently featured an old statement from President Trump supporting Massie — from 2022. The text was edited to remove the date, making it look like a fresh, current endorsement from Trump in this primary against Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein.
The message ends with the standard disclaimer: “Paid for by Thomas Massie for Congress. Reply STOP to opt-out.”
They’ve used this screenshot:
You can clearly see where they cut out the original date to make the old quote appear brand new.
This is classic campaign deception. Trump has been crystal clear in this race — he strongly endorsed Ed Gallrein and has repeatedly called Massie a “disaster” and a “complete and total loser” for breaking with him on key issues. Massie’s team took a four-year-old statement and repackaged it to confuse voters on Election Day.
Whether this crosses into illegal territory under Kentucky election law is something authorities may have to examine. While political speech is broadly protected, deliberately misleading voters about current endorsements can sometimes violate rules against deceptive campaign practices. At minimum, it’s extremely dishonest and shows a willingness to bend the truth when it suits them.
Massie has positioned himself as the ultimate transparent outsider who demands honesty from everyone else. Using a dated Trump quote as if it’s current support — especially on Election Day — undercuts that entire image.
This primary has been one of the most expensive and contentious House races in the country, with Trump going all-in for Gallrein. Massie’s last-minute text stunt looks like a desperate attempt to muddy the waters and hold onto his seat.
Voters in KY-4 deserve straight talk, not edited old quotes designed to deceive. The campaign’s move may have been legal in the strictest sense, but it’s the kind of sleazy tactic that erodes trust in politicians.
We’ll see how voters respond at the polls today. But this kind of gamesmanship is exactly why so many Americans are fed up with Washington.
**Opinion Disclaimer:** This is an opinion piece. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
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Mark Van der Veen offers some of the most analytical and insightful writings on politics. He regularly opines on the motives and political calculations of politicians and candidates, and whether or not their strategy will work. Van der Veen offers a contrast to many on this list by sticking mainly to a fact-based style of writing that is generally combative with opposing ideologies.
