U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) made the audience laugh at an event this weekend sponsored by the conservative Commonwealth Policy Center. Held at the Erlanger Public Library, Massie was prepared to debate his MAGA-aligned opponent Ed Gallrein, who is running for Massie’s seat in the GOP primary with President Trump’s endorsement, but Gallrein didn’t show up.
As seen below in the video and photos, the crowd laughed when Massie mimed shaking the hand of Gallrein, whose seat on stage was empty.
I showed up to debate Ed at an event hosted by @CPC4Kentucky today in Erlanger but he chickened
out.
I took dozens of questions for 90 minutes.
If he won’t debate me in a local library, how could he possibly advocate for you in Congress? pic.twitter.com/rJQ8Euk2tK
— Thomas Massie for Congress (@MassieforKY) April 19, 2026
Massie told the audience that the congressional job requires the ability to debate: “You have to be able to debate. If you’re going to debate Nancy Pelosi and AOC, you better be comfortable here at a library (he laughed), before you go to Congress.”
To emphasize the absence of Gallrein, Massie wrote on social media: “I showed up to debate Ed at an event hosted by @CPC4Kentucky today in Erlanger but he chickened out. I took dozens of questions for 90 minutes. If he won’t debate me in a local library, how could he possibly advocate for you in Congress?”
After skipping the CPC event at the library, Gallrein reposted photos from a “Trump/Gallrein” rally, which drew a larger audience than the debate that didn’t materialize.
— 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝘼𝙜𝙚 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨
(@GoldenAgeTimes2) April 19, 2026
More than one commenter expressed the idea that it wasn’t the win Gallrein presented it as, replying that the audience attending the “Trump/Gallrein” rally showed up for Trump, not Gallrein. Another commenter wrote: “You won’t even show up to a forum/debate. You were offered many opportunities and yet you hide. You make Massie look better and better each day. Keep hammering loyalty to Trump. That’s all you have going for you. Millions being thrown at you and you still can’t get the lead.”
According to The Appalachian Times, Massie leads the Kentucky GOP primary with 46.8% of voters supporting him. Gallrein received 37.7% in the same poll, with 14% of voters still undecided. Also: “Massie leads every age bracket except voters 65+” and “the youngest bracket (18-29) with an immense 78.5%.”