US congressman says Israel lobby spent millions to unseat him

Representative Thomas Massie says pro-Israel lobbying groups spent millions of dollars to defeat him in one of the most expensive and politically charged congressional campaigns in modern US history.

In a post on X, the Kentucky Republican said on Saturday that the lobbying groups spend “$500 per vote” to unseat him in May.

“That’s what the Israeli lobby spent to beat me,” Massie wrote, adding that they “still couldn’t do it with factual ads, or even fake ads based on policy.”

He said groups backing his opponent Ed Gallrein resorted to “personal lies and AI videos” to influence voters.

Massie’s comments revive a debate over the role of pro-Israel organizations and donors in US elections following his defeat in a Republican primary that became one of the most closely watched congressional races in the country.

The congressman lost his primary on May 19 after facing a challenge backed by US President Donald Trump and heavily funded by pro-Israel groups and wealthy donors, including billionaire Miriam Adelson.

In an unusual move, Trump’s war secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Kentucky the day before the vote to campaign personally for Gallrein.

In Kentucky primary, it's 'America First' vs. 'Israel First' as Trump backs Massie's pro-war rival

In Kentucky’s Republican primary, Trump-backed Ed Gallrein, funded by the pro-Israel lobby, challenges anti-war incumbent Thomas Massie, essentially testing “America First” vs. the establishment’s “Israel First” foreign policy.

Massie had emerged as one of the most prominent Republican critics of US military aid to Israel, repeatedly opposing foreign assistance packages and questioning Washington’s unconditional support for the Israeli regime.

His positions drew the ire of influential pro-Israel lobbying networks, which invested heavily in efforts to defeat him.

Massie’s defeat was hailed by pro-Israel organizations as a significant victory. However, the scale of spending also fueled criticism from Americans who argue that groups aligned with a foreign regime exert disproportionate influence over domestic politics.

The controversy has intensified calls among some conservatives and libertarians for greater scrutiny of lobbying organizations linked to foreign interests and renewed debate over the influence of campaign donors on US foreign policy.

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