Thomas Massie losing his Kentucky primary to a donor-backed challenger is bad news for libertarian and anti-war Republicans, but Clint Russell argues the donor class won a fight that will hurt the GOP long-term.

• Massie lost after record spending against him, including from three billionaires, and only voters 65 and older backed his opponent in a landslide.
• The Trump camp turned on Massie despite him being the only consistent vote for small government, no foreign wars, and Epstein disclosures.
• Russell says "pay to post" influencers like Matt Walsh and Michael Knowles fell in line behind Trump and the donor class instead of defending Massie, exposing TPUSA and the right-wing influencer scene as bought.
• The split is now generational: voters under 50 broke heavily against the establishment, and Russell expects the 2026 midterms to be a bloodbath for conventional Republicans.
• Russell floats Massie as a 2028 third-party candidate if anger at both parties keeps building.

Outlook: Expect a brutal GOP midterm in 2026 and a real opening for a third-party run in 2028 if the donor-class backlash holds.