Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie Finds Love Again After Tragedy

In a heartwarming announcement that has touched many in the political community, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky shared the joyful news of his recent marriage to Carolyn Grace Moffa. The Republican congressman, who lost his beloved wife Rhonda just last year after 31 years of marriage, has found a new chapter of happiness amidst the challenges of both personal grief and a heated re-election campaign against a Trump-backed challenger. Massie and Moffa were legally married on October 19 in Kentucky, followed by a celebration with close friends and family at a Christian wedding ceremony in Pennsylvania, where Carolyn is from. The announcement offers a tender reminder that even in Washington’s partisan atmosphere, the human stories of loss, healing, and new beginnings continue to unfold.

The couple’s connection has roots that stretch back more than a decade, when they first met professionally during Moffa’s time working as an agricultural policy staffer for Senator Rand Paul until 2016. Massie noted that Carolyn was “a very early proponent and practitioner of Making America Healthy Again” and had even visited him and his late wife Rhonda at their grass-fed cattle farm years before. This professional relationship has blossomed into a personal one at a time when Massie faces both the ongoing grief of losing his wife of three decades and the political challenges of a contested primary. For Carolyn, this represents her first marriage, while Massie brings to their union four adult children who are all married, as well as three grandchildren from what he described as his “blessed 31-year marriage to Rhonda,” whom he says he “still miss[es] every day.”

The wedding celebrations reflected the couple’s personalities and values, with distinctly personal touches that spoke to Massie’s well-known libertarian and agricultural interests. In what the congressman called “fun facts about our wedding,” he shared that they served raw milk with the wedding cake—a nod to his advocacy for food freedom—and margaritas made with frozen peaches from their farm. The political world was well-represented among the guests, with Senator Rand Paul and Representatives Jim Jordan, Warren Davidson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Victoria Spartz in attendance. However, Massie made it clear that “the real VIPs were my three grandkids,” with his oldest grandson serving as ring bearer. Adding another personal touch to their story, Massie revealed that he proposed to Carolyn on the steps of the Library of Congress, which was also the location of their first date.

This new marriage comes at a politically significant time for Massie, who has represented Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District since 2012 and is known as a maverick Republican who sometimes breaks with his party’s leadership. Currently facing a primary challenge from a Trump-backed former Navy SEAL, Massie has been working to defend his seat while balancing the profound personal transitions in his life. Senator Rand Paul has publicly pledged his support for Massie against the challenger, demonstrating the personal and professional bonds that exist between the two Kentucky lawmakers. These relationships now extend to Massie’s new marriage, as his bride previously worked closely with Senator Paul, creating an intertwining of personal and political connections that is not uncommon in Washington circles.

The congressman’s announcement concluded with a touching request that reflects both his faith and the realities of being married to a public figure: “Please pray for us as Carolyn steps into the arena with me. With her support, I look forward to continuing my fight for freedom for the great people of Kentucky!” This acknowledgment of the challenges that come with political life shows Massie’s awareness of what his new wife may face as she joins him in the public eye. It was just this past June when Massie announced the passing of his first wife Rhonda, whom he described at the time as “my high school sweetheart, the love of my life for over 35 years, the loving mother of our 4 children, the smartest kindest woman I ever knew, my beautiful and wise queen forever.” That Massie has found love again after such a profound loss speaks to the resilience of the human spirit and the possibility of finding happiness even after tremendous grief.

While Massie’s political future remains uncertain as he faces challenges within his own party, his personal announcement reminds us of the humanity behind the political figures who represent us. Beyond the policy debates, committee hearings, and campaign rallies are real people experiencing the full spectrum of human emotions—grief and joy, endings and beginnings. As Massie and his new bride Carolyn begin their life together, they do so with the support of friends, family, and colleagues from across the political spectrum, demonstrating that even in our divided times, certain life events can still transcend partisan boundaries. The congressman’s willingness to share this personal milestone with the public offers a glimpse of the person behind the politics and reminds us that even as public servants debate the great issues of our time, they still experience the universal milestones of human life—including finding love when perhaps they least expected it.