Todd McMurtry, the Kentucky congressional primary candidate whose tweets caused House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney to revoke her endorsement of him, has lost the support of the Republican Jewish Coalition.
McMurtry, who is challenging Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, was previously the preferred candidate of the RJC, Cheney, and Rep. Mike Turner, an Ohio Republican. Each gave money to McMurtry after Massie angered Republicans last month for demanding a roll-call vote over the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package enacted by Congress and President Trump.
“The RJC has consistently spoken out against hate, bigotry and racism,” the organization tweeted on Saturday, when Massie indicated to the Washington Examiner that McMurtry had lost its endorsement. The change came after Massie revealed that one of McMurtry’s tweets included the hashtag “#racist.”
“As a result of troubling comments that have come to light by congressional candidate Todd McMurtry which don’t share our values or the values of the GOP, we are asking for a refund and withdrawing our PAC support,” the RJC wrote.
Massie told the Washington Examiner that Republican lawmakers have no choice now but to support him: The filing deadline for the primary has passed in a district he has won overwhelmingly since 2012.
“This is what happens when people in D.C. try to get involved in local politics,” he said.
Pro-Israel America also dropped its endorsement of McMurtry. The organization tweeted Sunday night, “We are concerned by Todd McMurtry’s statements that have come forward this week, as these don’t reflect our values.”
McMurtry, in response, said in a statement: “My wife is Puerto Rican. My kids are bilingual. But the New York Times wants to call me a racist. That’s what they do to conservatives.” He added, “Well, I’m not going to let them intimidate me. I’m going to vote for Kentucky, and in support of President Trump and Thomas Massie won’t.”
McMurtry has also received the support of former Kentucky Republican Rep. Geoff Davis, now a D.C. lobbyist, who did not respond to inquiries from the Washington Examiner as to whether his endorsement of McMurtry still stands.
