Republican voters in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District recently decided one of the country's most closely watched primary races: incumbent Congressman Thomas Massie against Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein.

The people chose Mr. Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL and fifth-generation farmer. Gallrein will represent a district known for its liberty-minded representation by both Massie and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul.

Massie is one of the few fiscal hawks left in Congress. During his nearly 15 years representing Kentucky's 4th District, he consistently voted to end Washington's reckless spending, even when it wasn't popular with his own ranks.

In full disclosure, I count Thomas as a friend. Our offices were next to each other. We consulted each other on tricky votes. On occasion, we even conspired to cause trouble together. Make no mistake, Massie's cardinal sin was voting against his team's excessive spending bills.

Massie was one of only two Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives to vote against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Donald Trump's signature budget package that was ultimately passed and signed into law last summer.

His "nay" vote demonstrated his guts to put his principles before the party line. While there was a lot for conservatives to appreciate in the Big Beautiful Bill, the legislation added over $4 trillion to the national debt — a fact that many Republicans casually glossed over.

"We are not rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, we are putting coal in the boiler and setting a course for the iceberg," Massie explained of his vote. I admire his conviction. Most Americans will appreciate Massie's votes more after they realize the U.S. has hit the iceberg.

Our country's national debt is out of control. Late last month, it surpassed 100% of U.S. GDP, meaning it is larger than our entire economy. The only time the federal debt was higher, as a percentage of the economy, was immediately after World War II — and we are on course to break that record. Not by a little but by a lot.

A report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects that by 2030, the federal debt will reach 120% of GDP — 14 points more than the post-WWII high mark. Unlike then, there is no major global conflict to blame this time; it's the result of Congress's decadeslong destructive spending habit.

The runaway debt is sapping taxpayers' hard-earned money, driving up borrowing costs and exacerbating our country's affordability crisis. Today, the federal government spends more on financing our debt load than it does on national defense. Approximately 19 cents of every tax dollar goes toward paying the interest.

The problem won't solve itself. It requires structural reform that cuts spending across the board. All programs must be on the table. It will take fiscal accountability that demands all spending is paid for in today's dollars — not with empty promises of reductions in the future that never come to pass.

For years, Washington has spent like it's playing with Monopoly money rather than families' livelihoods. Democrats have led this sprint toward financial ruin, which conforms to their vision of turning our great nation into another failed experiment in socialism. Sadly, many Republicans have shown they are content to join the ride.

There is hope. In the aftermath of WWII, America got its financial house in order and paid down the national debt, from 106% of GDP to 23% in 1973. We didn't tax our way out of the hole — no amount of taxation could satiate the left's appetite for more spending. It was the result of fiscal prudence and free-market economic growth, perhaps our country's greatest strength.

Unfortunately, leaders who have the courage to make those hard decisions — saying no to more of the same spend-now, pay-for-it-later programs — seem to be in short supply these days. Most are more committed to keeping their jobs than doing right for our country.

Last night's results in Kentucky's primary reveal the cost of principled leadership that puts our country's financial health ahead of party dogma. Massie may not be heading back to Washington next year, but he sure put his country ahead of his ego, and he deserves our gratitude for it.

Voters should hope Mr. Gallrein will carry on that spirit of independence. He has promised to rein in careless spending and prioritize jobs and economic growth, which is a promising start. But many politicians have said the same, only to become complacent in the swamp. Just look at our national debt.

Ken Buck served in the United States House of Representatives from 2015-2024 representing Colorado's 4th congressional district. He now serves as a Fellow with the Independent Center. To find out more about Ken Buck and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Tim Mossholder at Unsplash