In Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, Trump-endorsed Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein defeated incumbent Representative Thomas Massie to secure a decisive victory. The advocacy group America First Works claims its intensive field operation was a primary driver in the election outcome.

One million texts and 125,000 "chased" voters

The advocacy arm of the America First Policy Institute, America First Works, claims its massive field operation was instrumental in Ed Gallrein's victory. According to the report, the group sent more than one million text messages to voters across Northern Kentucky to support the Trump-endorsed candidate.

Ashley Hayek, the president of America First Works, noted that the organization "chased over 125,000 voters" during a critical, short window of the campaign. This aggressive outreach strategy aimed to solidify support for Gallrein, a Navy SEAL and Army Ranger, against the long-standing incumbent Thomas Massie.

The $1,000 tax incentive and Massie’s legislative gamble

The political shift in Kentucky's 4th District was fueled by specific policy disagreements, most notably regarding the Working Families Tax Cut Act. america First Works president Ashley Hayek criticized Representative Thomas Massie for voting against this legislation, which she described as a key achievement of President Trump's second term.

The report highlights that the tax act promised tangible benefits, such as keeping up to $1,000 more in pockets at tax time and providing a $2,200 Child Tax Credit. By opposing the bill—which also included zero taxes on tips and overtime—Massie faced accusations from the America First Works camp that he had "betrayed" the trust of Kentucky voters.

Pete Hegseth’s "warrior" vs. "obstructionist" narrative

During the campaign, War Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared alongside Ed Gallrein to frame the choice as one between combat experience and political stalling.. Hegseth,appearing as a private citizen and combat veteran, characterized Gallrein as a "warrior" who understands mission, teamwork, and loyalty.

Hegseth’s rhetoric directly targeted Massie’s legislative record, suggesting that constant obstruction is not true leadership. As reported by the source, Hegseth argued that the voters of Kentucky were choosing between a candidate who stands behind leaders and an "obstructionist" who provides nothing but commentary.

Did the Quantus Insights poll underestimate Gallrein's 54.4% victory?

While the final results showed Ed Gallrein winning with 54.4% of the vote (45,623 votes), earlier data suggested a much tighter race. According to the Associated Press, as cited in the report, a Quantus Insights poll conductted between May 11 and May 12 among 908 likely Republican voters had Gallrein leading Massie 48.3 percent to 43.1 percent.

It remains unclear how much of the final 11.3% margin was the result of the America First Works texting blitz versus the existing momentum identified in the May poll. Furthermore, the report does not clarify if Massie’s campaign launched a significant counter-offensive to address the specific criticisms regarding the Working Families Tax Cut Act.