With the 2026 midterm elections looming, the Republican Party is experiencing a wave of internal contests and shifting alliances, as high-profile figures clash over the future direction of the party and the influence of former President Donald Trump. From Kentucky to New Jersey and New Hampshire, GOP candidates and incumbents are navigating a political landscape where loyalty to Trump, independent streaks, and questions of party identity are all at play.
In Kentucky, Representative Thomas Massie faces what is shaping up to be his toughest political battle since entering Congress in 2012. Known for his contrarian streak and libertarian leanings, Massie has often found himself at odds with party leadership in Washington—sometimes including Trump himself. According to the Associated Press, Massie has recently enlisted the support of Senator Rand Paul, a fellow Kentuckian and ideological ally, as he tours his district ahead of a potentially bruising GOP primary in May 2026.
Massie’s predicament is unusual: he is the first Republican incumbent in Congress to be specifically targeted for defeat by Trump and his political team in the 2026 cycle. A super PAC launched by Trump aides has begun attacking Massie, while the congressman awaits the emergence of a Trump-backed challenger. The tension stems from Massie’s opposition to Trump on key budget and foreign policy issues. For example, Massie voted against a massive tax and spending cuts package that Trump called “beautiful,” arguing it would balloon the national debt and harm the economy. He also publicly questioned Trump’s authority to order military strikes on Iran without congressional approval—a move that drew sharp rebukes from the former president.
Trump’s displeasure with Massie has been anything but subtle. In a social media post this summer, Trump declared, “Thomas Massie, the worst Republican Congressman, and an almost guaranteed NO VOTE each and every time, is an Embarrassment to Kentucky. He’s lazy, slow moving, and totally disingenuous – A real loser! Never has anything positive to add. Looking for someone good to run against this guy, someone I can Endorse and vigorously campaign for!”
Despite the attacks, Massie remains defiant. “Here’s what’s certain — if I just give up, I will lose,” he told AP reporters. “But the thing is, I never give up. And people know that.” He views the race as a referendum on whether a Republican can maintain independence within the party. “A lot of my colleagues are watching this race. They ask me every week how it’s going,” Massie said, suggesting that Trump’s targeting of him is meant to keep other Republicans in line.
Massie has responded to the challenge by ramping up his fundraising, averaging about $500,000 per quarter in 2025—more than he typically raised in two years. In campaign ads, he frames himself as a watchdog holding “the Washington machine accountable,” promising, “I’m not folding, I’m fighting. And I’m just getting started.”
Senator Rand Paul’s endorsement could prove crucial. “I think there’s a difference between Kentucky and D.C.,” Paul told reporters. “’Oh, Thomas Massie or Rand Paul are unpopular in D.C.’ Well, that’s why we’re popular at home because people aren’t very happy with what’s going on in Washington.”
Still, the primary field is growing. Other Republicans, including Niki Lee Ethington and Robert Wells, have filed to run, as have Democrats Elizabeth Mason-Hill and Jesse Brewer. Yet, as former GOP Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson told AP, “The fact that, after months of recruiting, no meaningful challenger has stepped up, has only reinforced my views about Massie’s reelection chances.”
While Kentucky’s contest is largely an internal GOP affair, the governor’s race in New Jersey is shaping up as a direct clash between Trump-aligned Republicans and Democrats. On September 25, Trump reiterated his support for Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, who earlier this year won the party’s primary. Trump didn’t hold back in his criticism of Democratic candidate U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, accusing her of supporting open borders and progressive social policies, and even linking her to the "perhaps future Communist Mayor of New York City."
Trump’s endorsement of Ciattarelli has been emphatic: “Jack is tough on crime and cutting taxes, two things that people really demand today,” he said on social media. “He will be a GREAT Governor… We need Jack in New Jersey!!!”
Ciattarelli, who previously ran for governor in 2021 but lost to incumbent Phil Murphy, has worked to bolster his law-and-order credentials. He recently secured the endorsement of the New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police—a group that had endorsed Murphy in 2016 but sat out the 2021 contest. “As Governor, I will do everything in my power to support law enforcement - and their families. Working in close partnership, we can and will make communities all across New Jersey safe,” Ciattarelli posted on social media while touting the endorsement.
New Jersey’s general election is set for November 4, with early voting beginning October 25 and mail-in ballots already being distributed. With Murphy term-limited, the contest is considered highly competitive, and both parties are mobilizing their bases in anticipation of a close race.
Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, the Republican Senate primary is experiencing its own shakeup. On September 25, State Senator Dan Innis announced he was suspending his campaign for U.S. Senate to support the potential candidacy of former Senator John E. Sununu. Innis had launched his campaign just two months prior, promising to provide “backup” to Trump if elected. However, he said in a statement, “Sen. Sununu is the respected, experienced and trusted conservative that I was hoping would jump in the race last spring.”
Innis encouraged the other Republican in the race, former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, to clear the path for Sununu, criticizing Brown as someone who “consistently sided with Barack Obama and the Democrats the last time he was in Washington.” Brown, for his part, welcomed the prospect of a spirited primary if Sununu enters, stating, “I look forward to a hard-fought, issue-oriented, spirited primary campaign once John E. Sununu concludes his so-called ‘listening tour.’”
Sununu, who has not held elected office since 2009, has been a critic of Trump, supporting John Kasich and Nikki Haley in previous presidential primaries. Despite being courted by national Republicans, Sununu is currently focused on “listening to New Hampshire voters” as he considers a run. He responded to Innis’s endorsement on social media: “I respect Dan Innis’ decision to suspend his US Senate campaign. He’s been an outstanding State Senator — we need his leadership in Concord. Deeply appreciate Dan’s kind words and his pledge of support if I run for Senate.”
These contests illustrate the ongoing struggle within the GOP between Trump’s enduring influence and candidates who either embrace or resist his brand of politics. As the primaries approach, all eyes are on whether Republican voters will reward loyalty to Trump or value independence and local priorities over national party lines.
The coming months promise to test the resilience of party unity and the appetite of voters for candidates who challenge—or champion—the status quo.
