Trump-Backed Ed Gallrein Ousts Thomas Massie in Kentucky Fight for US Congress Seat, NBC News Projects

May 19 (Reuters) – ⁠Ed ⁠Gallrein, boosted ⁠by the backing of ​U.S. President Donald ‌Trump, ousted incumbent ‌Rep. Thomas ⁠Massie, ⁠a prominent Trump critic, on Tuesday ​to become the Republican Party’s nominee ​to represent Kentucky’s 4th ⁠congressional district ⁠in the ⁠U.S. House ​of Representatives, NBC News projected.

Tuesday’s ​primary ⁠vote was seen as a test of ⁠Trump’s powers to persuade Republican voters to ⁠punish his critics. Massie has represented parts of northen Kentucky in the House since 2012, and has been ⁠an outspoken critic of Trump during the president’s second term.

(Reporting by ​David Morgan and ​Bhargav Acharya;)

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