Ben Shapiro says Thomas Massie is trying to become the next Tucker Carlson after primary loss

WASHINGTON, DC: Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro took aim at Rep. Thomas Massie on Wednesday, arguing the Kentucky Republican saw the writing on the wall after losing his primary and responded by leaning into controversy instead of trying to save his seat.

Speaking on his show, Shapiro mocked Massie’s post-defeat posture and suggested the congressman had already accepted that his future in Congress was limited once President Donald Trump backed his opponent.

Ben Shapiro’s theory

According to Shapiro, the turning point came the moment Trump publicly turned against Massie.

“The minute that Trump came out and went after Massie, Massie knew he was in trouble. And so he figured, you know what, ‘I want to be a podcaster, I want to be like Joe Kent or Tucker Carlson. I want the strange new respect. I want the podcast woke right, and I also want the strange new respect of the left,'” Shapiro said.

He argued that Massie’s response was not to soften his positions but to move harder in the opposite direction.

“And so I’m going to go all the way, I’m going to throw out conspiracy theories, go full-scale conspiratorial anti-Israel.’ So that was Massie’s plan, which was that he knew he was toast anyway, so the best way to make money on the other side is to do that sort of thing.”

Shapiro framed Massie’s recent rhetoric as less about winning voters and more about positioning himself for life after Congress, especially in the right-wing media sphere occupied by figures like Tucker Carlson.

Concession speech remarks become more fuel

Shapiro pointed to Massie’s concession speech Tuesday night as what he called “pretty good evidence” for his theory.

Massie took a shot at Trump’s “Roman Empire” ballroom and joked that it had been difficult to reach victorious challenger Ed Gallrein “in Tel Aviv.”

Shapiro called those comments “ugly stuff” and linked the remarks to Massie’s recent criticism of Israel, including complaints that Israel had “dragged” the United States into the Iran conflict and other statements he has made in recent months.

Carlson has also become increasingly critical of Israel since the start of the Iran war. The former Fox News host has argued the conflict is being “waged” on Israel’s behalf and claimed Israel is effectively “in charge” of Trump.

Shapiro said Massie’s messaging made little political sense if the goal was actually to survive a Republican primary in Kentucky.

“What was he thinking?” Shapiro asked. “Why in the world, in a district that has fewer than 500 Jews, would you decide that it was really, really important to run on the’ Zionist organized government the Jews control everything’ platform?”

Defeat sends broader GOP message

Shapiro argued that Massie’s moves become easier to explain if the congressman is looking beyond elected office and toward becoming an anti-Trump commentator.

Massie had become one of Trump’s most persistent Republican critics. He pushed for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, opposed the war with Iran, and voted against Trump’s signature tax legislation last year.

His loss to Gallrein came after what was described as the most expensive US House primary in history.

For Republicans watching from the sidelines, the result may land as more than just another primary defeat.

Massie had been firmly rooted in his heavily Republican Kentucky district and had served in Congress since 2012. But his clash with Trump ultimately cut that run short.

He will remain in office until his term ends in January. With no Republican primary left to worry about, he may have more room than ever to keep sparring with Trump.

That said, the outcome also reinforces a reality for the GOP that crossing Trump still carries considerable political risk, and that the Republican base has repeatedly shown a willingness to side with the President over lawmakers who challenge him.