Primary election season is in full swing in Northern Kentucky. The Covington Optimist Club is having weekly events for candidates running for Northern Kentucky state-level legislative offices, as well as for the candidates running for senatorial and congressional seats in the United States.
They hold the events at PeeWee’s Place in Crescent Springs.
Rep. Thomas Massie stumped at the Covington Optimist Club on Wednesday, April 20. Massie talked about inflation, debt, and the legislation that he’s been working on while in office.
Massie’s running against three other candidates in the Fourth Congressional District. In February, Public Opinion Strategies conducted the poll on behalf of Massie. The statewide poll surveyed 300 Republican primary voters in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.
The results show Massie commanding 71 percent of the vote, with George Foking Washington coming in at 5 percent and second place. Claire Wirth is a pro-Trump Republican and is polling at 3 percent, while Alyssa Dara McDowell is at 2 percent.
Despite the lead, Massie has been campaigning hard in the district. He recently participated in a Zoom Primary Debate while also attending several Lincoln/Reagan Dinners throughout the district, in addition to the event at the Covington Optimist Club.
“We aren’t taking it for granted,” Massie said when asked why he has been campaigning so hard in a district he has held since 2012 and has a commanding lead in the polls. He elaborated that he has new ground to cover due to redistricting, including Nelson County, where he recently stumped.
Over recent months, Massie’s opponents have criticized him for some of his votes. One was the vote against a House Resolution for NATO support.
“NATO is primarily a relic of the Cold War,” Massie said. “It was implemented as a check against the Soviet Union.”
Massie’s likely Democratic opponent in the district said that Massie is a danger to the free world.
“Massie has shown he would let the dictator Putin lay waste to democracy in Europe instead of standing up to a modern Stalin,” said Matthew Lehman, the Democratic candidate in the fourth congressional district. “He must be voted out while we still have a democracy.”
Massie said if he’s a “friend” with Putin, then why did Putin sanction him.
Even with heavy criticism at times, Massie has dominated the fourth congressional district. But, he believes he’s likely to win the primary. Since this speech was at the Optimist Club, he wanted to share something optimistic.
“I’m so optimistic I’ll win this primary that May 17, I’m having the victory party here at PeeWee’s,” Massie said.