GOP Sen. Paul, Rep. Massie win respective Kentucky primaries

Paul is expected to win reelection, on the power of his incumbency and considering Kentucky has not elected a Democrat to Senate since 1992.

By Madeleine Hubbard

Published: May 17, 2022 8:00pm

Updated: May 17, 2022 9:03pm

Sen. Rand Paul easily won the Republican nomination to go on to the general election this Fall against Democrat Charles Booker for what will be his third term representing Kentucky in the Senate.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) defeated three opponents in his district and will run against Democrat Matthew Lehman, who ran unopposed, according to The Associated Press.

The wire service also called the Paul race.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Massie but not Paul in the primaries.

Trump endorsed Paul in April 2021, but by August, he chastised the senator for "spending nearly $1 million on another candidate," former Ohio Rep. Ron Hood. The former president supported Mike Carey, a former coal lobbyist who went on to win the general election.

Booker will still have a difficult time unseating Paul, a two-term senator. Kentucky is heavily Republican and has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1992.