A coalition of anti Trump Republicans and Libertarian Party operatives is reportedly trying to recruit outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie for a third party presidential campaign in 2028. The reported objective is to siphon votes from the eventual Republican nominee.

According to Axios, the group has spent months encouraging Massie to pursue the Libertarian Party nomination. Organizers reportedly see the Kentucky Republican as a candidate capable of attracting voters dissatisfied with the GOP nominee.

Massie, a notorious RINO known for siding with Democrats, lost his Republican primary earlier this year. Trump backed challenger Ed Gallrein defeated him following a bitter campaign.

Following the midterm elections, Massie said one of his final acts in Congress would be attempting to secure the impeachment of War Secretary Pete Hegseth.

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"There is one contingency in which I won’t reintroduce the articles of impeachment: Hegseth resigns." This ACTUALLY going anywhere requires 67 US Senators after the House vote. The new Democrat landslide majority is not seated until January 2027 More USELESS BS. — Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 5, 2026

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Massie has not publicly commented on reports about the possible 2028 campaign.

Supporters of the recruiting effort believe Massie could appeal to Republicans opposed to the war in Iran and continued support for Israel. The names cited as examples of that faction included Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Politics Watch summarized the reported strategy in a November 8, 2026, post, saying Libertarian operatives and MAGA defectors had a plan for Massie. The post said they wanted him to become the Libertarian presidential nominee and play spoiler for the Republican nominee.

The proposed effort would seek to unite a MAGA faction viewed as closer to Carlson and Greene. Rather than strengthening the eventual Republican ticket, however, the organizers reportedly hope to draw enough support away from it to force political concessions.

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Among the organizers is Michael Heise, founder of the Libertarian Party’s Mises Caucus. That caucus took control of the party in 2022, and the Mises PAC is now helping finance the campaign to draft Massie.

The Mises PAC raised approximately $394,000 during the 2024 election cycle. The report did not state how much money has been dedicated specifically to recruiting Massie or organizing a possible presidential bid.

Libertarian activist Larry Sharpe said he has spoken with Massie several times about a potential presidential campaign. Sharpe offered a colorful description of Massie’s standing among some Libertarian activists.

“Libertarian Jesus is Ron Paul, and one of our saints is Thomas Massie,” Sharpe said. His remark captured the enthusiasm behind a recruitment operation targeting a Republican lawmaker who has frequently broken with his own party.

Axios: Libertarian operatives and MAGA defectors have a 2028 plan for Thomas Massie

They want to recruit him as the Libertarian presidential nominee, aiming to unite the MAGA wing closer to Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene and play spoiler for the GOP nominee. Link: https://t.co/HsFO0GjaqX — Politics Watch (@politics_watch1) November 8, 2026

Organizers are also attempting to rebrand the Libertarian Party around an anti war interpretation of “America First.” The strategy appears designed to attract voters who share that foreign policy outlook but remain connected to the broader Republican political coalition.

Podcaster Bret Weinstein is among those supporting the effort. He described the proposed campaign as a way to take enough votes from a major party that its leaders would be pushed to respond.

“The idea is if one can take 5%, 10%, 15% of the vote from one of these parties, then that party has to listen and cave to interest of the people,” Weinstein said. His comments laid out the leverage organizers believe a third party candidacy could create.

The organizers hope to win at least 5% of the national vote. Reaching that mark could qualify the Libertarian Party for federal campaign funding in subsequent elections, giving the effort consequences beyond the 2028 contest itself.

For now, the recruitment push remains an operation led by Libertarian activists and Republicans hostile to Trump’s influence. Massie has yet to publicly embrace the scheme, leaving its organizers to promote his prospective candidacy while the outgoing congressman remains silent.

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