Free Republic

Tea party darling Thomas Massie on Tuesday won the Republican nomination to run for an open congressional seat in Kentucky's 4th District. The relative newcomer of politics, a protege of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, beat two well-established Republicans in state Rep. Alecia Webb-Edgington and Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore. With 74 percent of precincts reporting, Massie had 13,708 votes or 45 percent, to 8,844 votes for Webb-Edgington or 30 percent. Moore had 5,299 votes or 17 percent. The race proved that the tea party movement remains strong in Kentucky. Paul endorsed Massie and was actively involved in the race, even...

In a stinging rebuke of the Kentucky Republican establishment, tea-party-affiliated Lewis County Judge-Executive Thomas Massie won tonight’s GOP primary to replace retiring Rep. Geoff Davis (R) in the 4th district. With 72 percent of precincts reporting, the Associated Press called the race for Massie. He had 44.9 percent of vote, state Rep. Alecia Webb-Edgington had 29 percent and Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore had 17.4 percent. Davis, along with former Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning (R), backed Webb-Edgington, who had broad establishment support. Conservative Republican Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Mike Lee (Utah) backed Massie. The district is safe Republican turf,...