Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie took to social media on Monday to express his disdain for Donald Trump’s “ridiculous bullying tactics.” Massie spoke out after the former president directed his attention towards a fellow GOP lawmaker currently serving in Florida.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump, the presumed GOP nominee for the 2024 presidential race, reached out to fellow “great MAGA Republicans” with a question. He asked if anyone was interested in challenging Representative Laurel Lee, a Republican from Florida who currently represents the state’s 15th District. It is worth noting that Lee had previously served as Florida’s secretary of state under Governor Ron DeSantis and had initially endorsed DeSantis’ presidential campaign for 2024. However, her allegiance has since shifted to Trump after DeSantis decided to suspend his own presidential bid.
The congresswoman’s campaign for reelection in 2024 currently does not have any GOP challengers. However, the former president called on Republicans aligned with his MAGA movement who may be interested in running against Lee to “PLEASE STEP FORWARD.” This call sparked criticism from a few conservatives who also supported DeSantis’ presidential campaign against Trump.
“This is unacceptable and unjustified,” Massie expressed on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday afternoon. He highlighted that “@RepLaurelLee is a conservative and thoughtful member of the judiciary committee. She initially endorsed DeSantis for President but later switched her endorsement to Trump after DeSantis exited the race. It is important for more of my colleagues to denounce these absurd bullying tactics.”
This is unhelpful and unwarranted. @RepLaurelLee is a conservative thoughtful member of the judiciary committee. She endorsed DeSantis for President but then endorsed Trump when DeSantis got out of the race. More of my colleagues should call out these ridiculous bullying tactics. pic.twitter.com/xY13AfQv6M— Thomas Massie for Congress (@MassieforKY) March 25, 2024
Representative Chip Roy, a Texas Republican who also supported DeSantis’ 2024 campaign, quickly responded to Massie’s statement by succinctly stating, “I co-sponsor.”
In the race against Lee, several notable Trump supporters have expressed their potential interest in running. One of them is Jackie Toledo, a former Florida state lawmaker who previously competed in the GOP congressional primary against Lee in 2022 but was unsuccessful.
Toledo expressed her unwavering support for the Republican party and her readiness to serve. She proudly declared herself as a dedicated MAGA Republican, using the hashtag #MAGA. Accompanying her statement was a photo of Toledo donning a cowboy hat with the words “Trump 2020” prominently displayed.
In response to Trump’s criticism of Lee, Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and former Republican congressional candidate in Florida, took to X to share her thoughts. She shared in a post that she had been contacted by over 22 Republican officials, urging her to run against Laurel Lee.
“As many are aware, @RepLaurelLee’s district is not too far from where I campaigned for Congress, and I managed to raise $3 million during that time,” Loomer stated. “I am fortunate to have the support of President Trump, which certainly has its advantages, don’t you agree? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.”
George Santos, a former New York Representative and a staunch supporter of Trump, expressed his thoughts about Lee’s campaign. Santos, who was expelled from Congress in December, took to X to share his views. In his statement, he emphasized his love for Trump while also stating that he disagrees with Trump’s stance on the Laurel Lee situation. Santos added, “My two cents for what it’s worth…”
