Several candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump have recently suffered primary defeats, including three notable losses on Tuesday in Florida and Wyoming. These setbacks add to a tally of 10 losses this year for Trump-backed candidates in congressional and statewide races, according to The Washington Post.
Among those who lost this week was Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who faced allegations of misconduct and lost his primary bid for Florida’s 7th congressional district to former television journalist Ryan Elijah. In Florida's 19th district, Catalina Lauf, a business founder, was defeated by businessman Jim Schwartzel in her primary race. Wyoming’s gubernatorial race also saw a loss for Trump's pick, Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, who was bested by state Sen. Eric Barlow.
Trump publicly stated that he had advised Mills to withdraw from the race, but Mills did not comply. This year's 10 losses approach the total seen in 2022, which was a record year for Trump endorsement defeats with 12 candidates losing their primaries for similar offices.
Despite these recent losses, Trump’s endorsement has a high success rate. An analysis by NBC News indicates that out of 67 endorsed candidates in August races so far, six have lost. A statement from White House spokesperson Allison Schuster asserted that President Trump’s endorsement is “the most powerful endorsement in the history of American politics,” citing a 97% success rate among over 260 endorsements. The statement also affirmed Trump’s commitment to maintaining Republican majorities in Congress and reducing costs for families.
However, the recent defeats suggest that an endorsement from Trump may not always overcome fundamental candidate weaknesses. They also point to a potential waning of his influence, even within his own party.
Other Trump-endorsed candidates who have lost their primaries this year include Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), who lost his House primary in Tennessee’s 5th district to Charlie Hatcher. Amir Hassan, a Navy veteran, also lost a House primary in Michigan’s 8th district to Thomas Smith. At the state level, Sid Miller lost his bid for Texas agriculture commissioner. In gubernatorial races, Rep. Randy Feenstra lost the Iowa primary, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones lost the Georgia primary, and South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pam Evette lost her state’s gubernatorial runoff after Trump initially endorsed her and later issued a dual endorsement. Mike Lindell, founder of MyPillow, also lost the Minnesota gubernatorial primary.
Trump’s influence is set to be tested again in an upcoming South Carolina special election where he has endorsed Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) to replace her late brother. Graham is scheduled to face Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) in a runoff next week. Graham has acknowledged a lack of extensive experience in national security matters.