Don’t make him a hero.

Congressman Thomas Massie lost the Republican primary to Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein.

I want to make three important points.

First, this primary became the most expensive U.S. House primary in American history, with more than $32 million in advertising spending. Trump-backed interest groups largely dragged Massie through the mud with relentless negative ad campaigns. This is deeply concerning because it shows that, even though Trump’s approval rating is historically low, his power to sabotage those who defy him remains very much intact.

Second, not everyone who opposes Trump is a “good guy.” After Massie’s loss, people began chanting, “Massie for president.” But he would be a terrible choice for president. By that logic, we might as well nominate Marjorie Taylor Greene or Tucker Carlson as the Republican candidate.

Third, Massie is clearly no hero. He was one of the most vocal opponents of sending U.S. aid and weapons to Ukraine. When the House passed a resolution supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty, Massie was one of only three lawmakers to vote against it. He voted against every bill imposing sanctions on russia. In 2019, before the full-scale invasion, he was the only member of Congress to vote against a measure refusing to recognize russia’s annexation of Crimea. He also objected to nonbinding resolutions supporting NATO and condemning Putin because he did not like the characterization of Putin’s regime as “authoritarian.”

So, please don’t feel sorry for him. He is not a hero.