🎬 Political Cartoon: Kentucky 4th District Auditions
I recently created a new political cartoon inspired by the developing Republican primary race in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.
Representative Thomas Massie has drawn a primary challenger in Ed Gallrein, and the race quickly gained national attention after President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Gallrein.
The dramatic tone of the endorsement immediately made me think of Hollywood auditions, so I decided to draw the race as a classic movie casting call.
In the cartoon, Donald Trump sits in the director’s chair, almost like legendary Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille, watching the two candidates audition for the role.
The Audition Scene
In the cartoon’s stage setting, the candidates deliver famous lines from classic films.
Rep. Thomas Massie steps forward first and delivers the Wicked Witch line from The Wizard of Oz:
“I’ll get you, my pretty!”
Across the stage, challenger Ed Gallrein responds with the iconic line from Casablanca but I made it Kentucky style, with FOLKS:
“Here’s looking at you, folks!”
Trump then calls out through a megaphone:
“CAST! THAT’S OUR HERO.”
The scene captures the idea that modern politics can sometimes resemble central casting, with candidates performing, delivering lines, and powerful figures influencing who gets the spotlight.
The Political Context
The concept for the cartoon came directly from Donald Trump’s Truth Social endorsement of Ed Gallrein.
In that post, Trump sharply criticized Rep. Thomas Massie, referring to him as a “RINO”, while praising Gallrein as a “true patriot.”
Trump also gave Gallrein what he called his “Complete and Total Endorsement” and urged supporters aligned with the MAGA movement to rally behind him in the primary.
That endorsement instantly elevated the race into one of the more closely watched Republican primaries.
Who Is Ed Gallrein?
Ed Gallrein recently filed to run for Congress in Kentucky’s 4th District.
According to Trump’s endorsement and campaign descriptions, Gallrein is:
- a former Navy SEAL
- a U.S. Army Ranger
- a fifth-generation Kentucky farmer
- a businessman
His entry into the race, combined with Trump’s endorsement, has drawn new national interest to the contest.
Thomas Massie and the District
Rep. Thomas Massie has represented Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District since 2012.
Massie has built a reputation as a freeloader Republican and is known for sometimes breaking with party leadership on everything. NO NO NO is all he votes.
With Gallrein entering the race and Trump weighing in, the primary contest is now receiving increased attention from political observers.
Politics as Theater
Political cartoonists often rely on metaphors to capture the moment, and the idea of a Hollywood audition felt like the perfect way to illustrate this political drama.
Campaigns already involve speeches, stagecraft, messaging, and performance. When endorsements and rivalries intensify, it can sometimes feel like a casting call for the political spotlight.
That’s the idea behind the cartoon:
A stage.
Two candidates.
And a director deciding who gets the role.
You can also read the original Substack post here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/mariagrasmick/p/kentucky-4th-district-primary-my