Tea Party candidate Thomas Massie wins House primary in Kentucky

By Josh Lederman - 05/22/12 09:31 PM ET

Tea Party-backed Republican Thomas Massie won a hotly contested House primary in Kentucky on Tuesday, edging out an establishment candidate and putting him on an almost certain path to election in November.

With 74 percent of precincts reporting, Massie took 45 percent of the vote, with state Rep. Alecia Webb-Edgington (R) taking second with 30 percent. Republican Gary Moore, an elected county official, came in third with 17 percent.

Massie, also a county official, had been endorsed by Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and the Club for Growth. Much of the establishment support had lined up behind Webb-Edgington, while social conservatives were rallying behind Moore.

All three were considered relative newcomers to the Kentucky political scene.

Massie heads into the general election in solid shape to replace retiring Rep. Geoff David (R-Ky.). The district leans heavily Republican, and Democrats have not indicated they intend to contest the seat.

Massie's win was an important victory for fiscal conservatives and the Club for Growth coming off a stinging loss last week in Nebraska, where the Club's favored candidate, state Treasurer Don Stenberg, suffered an embarrassing loss to Deb Fischer (R), a relative unknown state senator.

"Tom Massie will fight to cut spending, limit government, and restore the constitution," said Chris Chocola, the group's president. "The Club for Growth PAC was proud to play a role in Tom’s victory tonight and we look forward to seeing him in Congress next year.”

An entrepreneur and inventor, Massie serves as Lewis County's judge-executive, a position similar to a county commissioner. A fiscal conservative, Massie pledged during his campaign not to participate in federal healthcare or retirement programs if elected to the House.

In another closely watched House primary in Kentucky, Republican Andy Barr won his party's nomination for a rematch against Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.) in November. Barr came within 700 votes of unseating Chandler in 2010, and Republicans have made Chandler a top target for 2012.