Kentucky 4th Congressional District election results 2026: Gallrein wins with 127,671 votes, AP says

Republican Ed Gallrein will represent Northern Kentucky in Congress after defeating Democrat Melissa Strange and Libertarian Jeremy Todd on Nov. 3.

Unofficial results from the Kentucky Secretary of State, last updated at 9:26 p.m. on Nov. 3, show Gallrein with a wide lead:

The state's election night reporting page does not reflect a vote total for Libertarian candidate Jeremy Todd in the captured results. The Associated Press called the race at 8:43 p.m. with Gallrein holding 53% of the vote and roughly 80% of ballots counted, Link NKY reported. That 53% mark was the lowest for a Republican in the district in a midterm since 2006, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Gallrein celebrated at the Kenton County Republican Party's watch party, held at Oriental Wok in Fort Mitchell. In a victory speech there, he said the election was about economic security and border security, not partisan divisions, the Enquirer reported.

The win caps a remarkable year for Gallrein, a 68-year-old fifth-generation farmer and former Navy SEAL from Shelbyville who lives on about 100 acres. He announced his candidacy in October 2025, four days after President Donald Trump endorsed him.

Gallrein then defeated seven-term incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie in the May 19 Republican primary, winning 54.9% to 45.1% and carrying 19 of 21 counties. That primary drew national attention as the most expensive U.S. House primary in history. WLWT reported more than $35 million was spent between the two candidates. Link NKY reported more than $30 million came from political donors and organizations aligned with Trump, including pro-Israel donors and groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Trump rallied twice in Northern Kentucky on Gallrein's behalf, once in March at Verst Logistics in Hebron and again in October at Northern Kentucky University's Truist Arena, WCPO reported.

Strange, a first-time candidate and businesswoman, defeated Jesse Brewer in the May Democratic primary. She campaigned on affordability, health care access and restoring civility to politics. Libertarian nominee Jeremy Todd, a former banker from Independence, entered the race after Massie's primary loss, criticizing Gallrein and Trump over foreign and fiscal policy.

Grace Songer, Strange's campaign manager, told The Northerner the Democrat performed about 20 points better than expected in a heavily Republican district, according to The Northerner's election night coverage.

The Enquirer reported a lingering rift among Northern Kentucky Republicans over Gallrein's defeat of Massie. State House Reps. T.J. Roberts and Marianne Proctor and state Sen. Steve Rawlings never endorsed Gallrein. They attended a separate election night watch party. State Rep. Kim Moser and Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann were at the Gallrein event.

Gallrein takes office Jan. 3, 2027, beginning a two-year term representing the 4th Congressional District, which stretches from the Louisville suburbs north through Northern Kentucky and east along the Ohio River. The district is home to roughly 776,000 residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates cited by Link NKY.