GOP Rep.’s Approval Rating Crashes After Public Trump Betrayals

A bruising battle over President Donald Trump’s signature domestic legislation has left one of his Republican congressional foes worse for the wear, new polling indicates.

Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY), who spearheaded a failed attempt to block passage of the Big, Beautiful Bill in June, has seen his standing slip among voters in Kentucky’s 4th congressional district ahead of an expected 2026 reelection campaign.

The six-term Republican is badly underwater back at home. Just 39% view him favorably, a decline of 13 points from two months prior, while his disapproval stands at 55%, a jump of 14 points in that same time, according to the latest data from pollster John McLaughlin.

Both figures come about six weeks after Massie was given brutal news about his reelection prospects vis-à-vis Nicole Lee Ethington, a registered nurse who announced her candidacy earlier this year.

Asked in late June whether Massie deserves to be reelected, just 19% of respondents agreed, while 47% indicated they would be willing to support a challenger. If Trump were to endorse that challenger, Massie’s stature would fall even further to 14% while the challenger’s support would rise to 59%.

A head-to-head poll gives Ethington a 31%-19% lead over Massie. Kaplan Strategies notes that Massie’s 19% is the same amount that he would earn against a generic, unnamed challenger, meaning Ethington only has room to grow if Trump wades into the matchup.

Among Republicans, Massie is viewed favorably by just 23% compared to 62% who view him unfavorably. The same pool of voters gives Trump a stellar 89% approval rating, with just 9% disapproving of his job performance.

Massie was also a vocal proponent of Trump’s decision to strike Iran, earning him the ire of AIPAC, the largest pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington, D.C.

“Will lobbyists for a FOREIGN country be able to buy a seat in Congress? That’s the question in my re-election. 1,900 of you donated $177,394 this week to make sure I can hold this office to represent American interests, not foreign interests,” he wrote in a social media message.

The Kentucky Republican reported raising $584,325 in the July 2025 fundraising quarter, with 68% of donations coming from first-time donors. He has raised $1,737,746 this cycle so far and maintains $1,737,746 cash-on-hand, his campaign stated.

Trump has promised to financially support a primary challenger to Massie, whose district is ruby red.

“MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague!” he wrote on Truth Social in June, promising to endorse “a wonderful American Patriot” who runs against him.

Two advisors to Trump earlier this year launched MAGA KY, a PAC dedicated to opposing Massie in 2026. Early ads have hammered him for his votes on border security, tax cuts, and gender-affirming care for minors.

The battle carries overtones of one between Trump and Elon Musk, who announced earlier this summer that he will financially back Massie with a PAC of his own next year, the Enquirer reported.