Why Thomas Massie Thought He Was Different

Russell Berman: “For months leading up to the primary, Massie had held up his race as an important test case for the Trump era: If he could criticize the president and win anyway, his victory would embolden other Republicans to speak out and vote against Trump when they felt compelled to, loosening his viselike grip on the party. As many as a dozen House Republicans, he told me last month, would then be ‘more liable to vote with their constituents instead of the party line.'”

“That prediction, however, looked dubious even before Massie’s defeat became clear, as Trump reasserted his dominance over the GOP elsewhere. Less than six months from the midterm elections, the president may be as unpopular as he’s ever been with the general public. But inside the Republican Party, he remains the undisputed kingmaker.”