House Republican spurns Trump and writes in Ron DeSantis for president

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky posted a photo of his ballot on social media on Tuesday. “I do NOT recommend this,” he wrote.

Rep. Thomas Massie, an idiosyncratic libertarian who represents a deep-red Kentucky district, is not voting former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

Massie posted a photo of his ballot on X on Tuesday showing that he had written in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president — and himself for vice president.

He also suggested he wouldn’t have done so if Trump wasn’t all but guaranteed to win Kentucky.

“I do NOT recommend this,” Massie wrote, “unless you’re in a state where the outcome is already decided.”

I do NOT recommend this…

…unless you’re in a state where the outcome is already decided. 😂 pic.twitter.com/neHsEopt9H

— Thomas Massie for Congress (@MassieforKY) October 15, 2024

It’s not entirely surprising that Massie would decline to cast his vote for Trump.

The two have had a somewhat tortured relationship, with the former president calling for the Kentucky congressman to be ousted from the GOP after he stalled a vote on a COVID relief package in March 2020.

…& costly. Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive. Virus wasn’t their fault. It is “HELL” dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the “big picture” done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Massie was one of a handful of House Republicans that endorsed DeSantis during the 2024 GOP presidential primary, and he has declined to issue a formal endorsement of Trump since he became the nominee.

The Kentucky congressman has also long been a the thorn in the side of the GOP generally.

In May, he partnered with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in an unsuccessful bid to oust Mike Johnson from the speakership, an effort driven in part by Johnson’s decision to allow the House to vote on Ukraine aid.