A House Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie, openly criticized former President Trump for urging a primary challenger to step up against another GOP lawmaker, Rep. Laurel Lee, in Florida. Massie accused Trump of “bullying” and called his actions “unhelpful and unwarranted.” He praised Lee as a conservative and thoughtful member of the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. Chip Roy, who has been critical of Trump in the past, also expressed his support for Massie’s comments by saying, “Co-sponsor.” Trump had called for a primary challenger to Lee on his Truth Social app, asking for any “great MAGA Republicans” to step forward.
Prior to running for the House of Representatives, Lee had served in the DeSantis administration from 2019 to 2022 as Florida Secretary. She was Florida’s top election official in 2021 when DeSantis announced that the state would not audit the 2020 presidential election, despite pressure from Trump allies. Lee was the only member of Florida’s House delegation to support DeSantis against Trump. Massie and Roy initially endorsed DeSantis, but Lee switched her endorsement to Trump in late January after DeSantis dropped out of the race. Trump won Florida in the presidential election against President Biden by approximately 3%.
Following Trump’s call for a primary challenger against Lee, Massie and Roy expressed their disapproval of his actions, with Massie calling the tactics “bullying” and Roy showing his support by commenting “Co-sponsor.” The former president’s involvement in endorsing primary challenges against other GOP lawmakers is not new, as he had called for a primary challenger against Roy late last year. Lee’s decision to switch her endorsement from DeSantis to Trump was seen as controversial within the Republican Party, as she was the only member of Florida’s House delegation to support DeSantis against Trump. The infighting within the GOP continues as different factions clash over loyalty to the former president and party unity.
Fox News Digital contacted spokespeople for Trump and Lee’s re-election campaign for a response to the criticism from Massie and Roy. The rift within the Republican Party between those who continue to support Trump and those who criticize his actions remains a divisive issue. Trump’s influence within the party is still significant, as seen by his endorsements and calls for primary challengers against lawmakers who have not aligned with his interests. Lee’s decision to switch her endorsement from DeSantis to Trump highlights the complex relationships and alliances within the GOP as members navigate their loyalty to the former president and the party’s overall direction.
The tensions within the Republican Party continue to simmer as former President Trump involves himself in endorsing primary challengers against GOP lawmakers who have not aligned with his interests. Reps. Massie and Roy openly criticized Trump for his actions against Rep. Laurel Lee, with Massie calling the tactics “bullying” and Roy expressing his support by commenting “Co-sponsor.” The divide within the party over loyalty to Trump and the direction of the GOP is evident as different factions clash over endorsements and primary challenges. Lee’s decision to switch her endorsement from DeSantis to Trump further highlights the complexities of relationships and alliances within the Republican Party as members navigate their loyalty to the former president and the party’s overall trajectory.
