An unusual coalition wants to recruit outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie as the Libertarian Party's 2028 presidential nominee, betting that MAGA fractures can turn a third-party candidacy into a spoiler for the Republican nominee.

Why it matters: Organizers see a fighter in Massie, a frequent critic of President Trump who pushed hard on releasing the Epstein files and lost a bitter primary rather than quietly walking away.

Massie raised almost $10 million in the process and has a large online donor list and base.

For his parting act in Congress, Massie is pushing an impeachment vote against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Driving the news: For months, Libertarian Party operatives and MAGA defectors have been privately and publicly encouraging Massie to run under a rebranded party.

"Libertarian Jesus is Ron Paul, and one of our saints is Thomas Massie," Larry Sharpe, a perennial Libertarian candidate and longtime third-party operative, told Axios.…