‘How do his boots taste?’: Thomas Massie’s campaign humiliates a fellow Republican for celebrating his Trump-backed defeat

Rep. Thomas Massie‘s campaign fired back at fellow Republican Rep. Erin Houchin after she publicly celebrated Massie’s defeat in the Kentucky primary. Houchin, a representative from Indiana, shared a photo of herself with President Donald Trump and wrote, “Happy to deliver the news to President @realDonaldTrump the results from the KY Primary and his defeat of Thomas Massie.” 

According to Mediaite, she also congratulated Trump’s backed candidate, Ed Gallrein, writing “well done, @TeamTrump!” Massie’s campaign responded with a sharp one-liner that quickly gained over 15,000 likes: “How do his boots taste?” The comment was a direct jab at Houchin’s visible effort to get closer to Trump by celebrating Massie’s loss.

This was not the first clash between Massie and Trump. In recent months, Trump had repeatedly called for Massie’s removal from office. The tension between the two grew when Massie pushed for the release of government documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late child sex trafficker who had a long-standing friendship with Trump. Massie even accused Trump of being part of “the Epstein class.”

Massie’s defeat marks the end of a bitter and very public fallout with Trump

On Sunday, Trump urged Kentucky voters to remove Massie from office, calling him “the Worst Republican Congressman in History.” When Trump called Massie the worst Republican in history on Sunday, Massie reportedly took it as a sign he was winning the primary.

In his concession speech on Tuesday evening, Massie took a swipe at Trump over his priorities. “While gas is almost five dollars, and diesel is almost six dollars, they’re talking about a big ballroom they’re going to build,” he said. “It looks like the Roman Empire.” The remark was aimed at Trump’s reported plans to build a lavish ballroom at the White House.

Massie had represented Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District since 2012 and was known for his libertarian-leaning positions and willingness to break from his own party. His defeat in the primary marks a significant moment, as a sitting congressman was successfully pushed out largely due to pressure from a president of his own party. 

This was not the first time Massie refused to back down, as he had previously trolled Trump after a lengthy personal attack from the president calling him “weak and pathetic.” Trump’s endorsed candidate, Ed Gallrein, won the Republican primary and is now set to represent the party in the general election. Gallrein had the full backing of Trump’s political operation, which played a key role in mobilizing voters against Massie in the final stretch of the race.

Houchin’s public celebration drew widespread mockery online, with Massie’s campaign response widely shared and praised by his supporters. The episode highlighted the deep divisions that still exist within the Republican Party, even as Trump continues to hold significant sway over its direction and candidates.