Ed Gallrein

2024 Kentucky Senate campaign

On August 17, 2023, Gallrein announced that he would run in the 2024 Kentucky Senate election for the state's 7th district as a Republican. By April 2024, he had garnered $169,000, largely from operatives within the Republican Party of Kentucky, including its former chairman, Mac Brown; donor Wayne Hunt; and Michael Adams, the state's secretary of state.

Gallrein lost the Republican nomination to Aaron Reed by 118 votes (39.3% to 38.3%). Gallrein requested a recanvass, which reaffirmed Reed's victory.

2026 U.S. House of Representatives campaign

On October 17, 2025, President Donald Trump endorsed Gallrein for Kentucky's 4th congressional district. On October 21, Gallrein announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives, challenging seven-term incumbent Thomas Massie in the Republican primary. Massie had held the seat since 2012 and was considered to be popular within the district; in 2024, he had won the Republican primary with 76% of the vote and the general election with 99.6% of the vote. However, by March 2025, Trump had openly called for a primary challenge to Massie in response to his votes on the 2025 federal budget. Other high-profile clashes between the two included Massie's vote against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, his advocacy for the release of the Epstein files, and his condemnation of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

During the campaign, pro-Massie and pro-Gallrein PACs both used AI-generated political ads to attack each other's campaigns. One AI-generated ad from pro-Gallrein PAC MAGA KY included imagery of Massie having a threesome with pro-Palestinian Democratic representatives Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Massie, Omar, and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene condemned the ad, with Greene accusing the ad of violating the TAKE IT DOWN Act. On May 16, a pro-Trump group announced that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth would visit Kentucky to raise support for Gallrein. Hegseth's move was accused by critics of violating the Hatch Act, which the White House denied. During the campaign, Gallrein declined to debate Massie, ignored most interview requests, and conducted few public rallies.

On May 11, 2026, the primary became the most expensive U.S. House primary in American history, with over $25.6 million in ad spending beating the prior record of $25.2 million from the Democratic primary for New York's 16th congressional district in 2024. By May 17, ad spending exceeded $32 million. Gallrein won the Republican nomination on May 19, 2026, 54.9%–45.1%, winning 19 of the 21 counties that voted. After the race was called in Gallrein's favor, he said: "It was a David versus Goliath. I was the underdog."

Gallrein will face Democrat Melissa Strange in the general election on November 3, 2026.

Economy and cost of living

Gallrein supports cutting taxes, reducing regulations, and decreasing government spending.

Border control and fentanyl

Gallein supports border enforcement, fully funding the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, completing the Mexico–United States border wall, and putting an end to the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States and the United States opioid epidemic.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Gallrein is opposed to the idea of diversity, equity, and inclusion and believes that these principles should be removed from schools, the military, and the government.

Second Amendment rights

Gallrein said that "the Second Amendment is under constant attack from the radical left" and believes that U.S. citizens should maintain the right to keep and bear arms.

Foreign policy

Gallrein supported the 2026 U.S. intervention in Venezuela.

Commenting on the 2026 Iran War, Gallrein said on X on February 28, 2026, that the United States' attack on Iran: "sends a clear message to the world: The United States will not sit back while a hostile regime continually threatens our Nation, our allies, and global stability as Iran has for decades as the leading state sponsor of terrorism been responsible for the death of U.S. citizens and servicemembers.... Decisive action, clear objectives, and overwhelming strength save American lives and prevent larger wars, death, and destruction."