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Kentucky's 4th Congressional District election, 2026 (May 19 Republican primary)
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| Kentucky's 4th Congressional District |
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| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: January 9, 2026 |
| Primary: May 19, 2026 General: November 3, 2026 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times:
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Race ratings |
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th Kentucky elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 |
A Republican Party primary takes place on May 19, 2026, in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District to determine which Republican candidate will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.
| Candidate filing deadline | Primary election | General election |
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A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Kentucky utilizes a closed primary process, in which only registered party members can participate.[1]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
This page focuses on Kentucky's 4th Congressional District Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:
- Kentucky's 4th Congressional District election, 2026 (May 19 Democratic primary)
- Kentucky's 4th Congressional District election, 2026
Candidates and election results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 4
Incumbent Thomas Massie, Nicole Lee Ethington, Ed Gallrein, and Robert Wells Jr. are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 4 on May 19, 2026.
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Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Niki Lee Ethington is a registered nurse, wife, mother, and lifelong Kentuckian who has dedicated her life to serving others. She has worked across the country, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing critical care in NICUs, long-term care facilities, behavioral health, and more. A lifelong Kentuckian, Niki has lived on a farm in Spencer County for over 20 years and understands the struggles facing working families in Kentucky’s 4th District. Frustrated with out-of-touch politicians, Niki is stepping up to fight for Kentucky values in Washington. She is running for U.S. Congress (KY-4) as a Republican to put America First, secure the border, protect parental rights, and defend Kentucky jobs from government overreach. Her campaign motto is “Kentucky First. America Always.” From saving lives to saving Kentucky, Niki is ready to take her bold, conservative leadership to Washington and stand with President Trump to restore American greatness"
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Kentucky
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Massie | Republican Party | $1,813,513 | $706,769 | $2,013,753 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Nicole Lee Ethington | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Ed Gallrein | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Robert Wells Jr. | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
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Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
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District analysis
This section will contain facts and figures related to this district's elections when those are available.
Ballot access
This section will contain information on ballot access related to this state's elections when it is available.
See also
- Kentucky's 4th Congressional District election, 2026 (May 19 Democratic primary)
- Kentucky's 4th Congressional District election, 2026
- United States House elections in Kentucky, 2026 (May 19 Democratic primaries)
- United States House elections in Kentucky, 2026 (May 19 Republican primaries)
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2026
- U.S. House battlegrounds, 2026
External links
Footnotes
