On Tuesday, candidates endorsed by President Donald Trump experienced one of their toughest primary nights this cycle.
In total, three candidates backed by Trump lost in primaries held in Florida and Wyoming this week.
Among the defeated was Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), a congressman embroiled in allegations of sexual misconduct, domestic violence and campaign finance violations. Mills, who has denied any wrongdoing, was defeated by former television journalist Ryan Elijah in the primary for Florida’s 7th district.
Catalina Lauf, co-founder of a children’s health company and advocate for the Make America Healthy Again movement, also fell short in Florida’s 19th district, losing to businessman Jim Schwartzel.
Additionally, Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, Trump’s choice for the gubernatorial race, was defeated by state Sen. Eric Barlow.
On Wednesday, Trump quickly reacted to the losses by publicly stating that he had advised Mills to “get out of the Race, but he wouldn’t listen.”
These defeats bring the total number of losses by Trump-endorsed candidates for Congress and statewide office to 10 this year, as reported by The Washington Post. As noted by CNN’s Aaron Blake, this approaches the number of losses Trump experienced in 2022, which was his worst year for endorsements. In that cycle, 12 of his preferred candidates were defeated in primaries for these positions.
Trump often boasts that the vast majority of candidates he supports have won their primaries. This month, 67 of Trump-endorsed candidates have secured victories, while six have been defeated, according to an NBC News analysis.
“President Trump’s endorsement is the most influential in the history of American politics. Anyone disputing this is utterly mistaken,” White House spokesperson Allison Schuster said in a statement. “The President’s record speaks volumes: out of over 260 endorsements, the President boasts a 97% success rate. President Trump remains dedicated to maintaining Republican majorities in Congress and reducing costs for working families.”
Nonetheless, the recent losses underscore the limits of the president’s endorsement and demonstrate that his influence may not always be enough to overcome fundamental issues a candidate might face. Furthermore, they suggest that his influence may be waning amid dissatisfaction with his presidency even among members of his own party.
Brett Carlsen via Getty Images
In addition to the trio of candidates this week, other Trump-endorsed individuals who have been defeated include several House candidates and various gubernatorial hopefuls.
Earlier this month, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), known for his Islamophobic remarks and a deleted homophobic social media post, lost in Tennessee’s 5th district to Charlie Hatcher, a former state agriculture commissioner. Amir Hassan, a Navy veteran and ex-law enforcement officer, also lost a House primary in Michigan’s 8th district to Thomas Smith, a retired General Motors engineer who had previously suspended his campaign.
At the state level, Sid Miller is also among those who did not succeed, losing his bid for Texas agriculture commissioner to Nate Sheets, who founded a raw honey company.
Five other endorsed candidates were running in different gubernatorial races. Rep. Randy Feenstra was defeated in the Iowa gubernatorial primary by businessman Zach Lahn, who gained the backing of the MAHA movement. Lieutenant Gov. Burt Jones, who supported Trump’s actions to overturn 2020 election results, lost the Georgia gubernatorial primary to billionaire Rick Jackson.
South Carolina Lieutenant Gov. Pam Evette was defeated in the state’s gubernatorial runoff by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. Trump had initially endorsed Evette prior to the primary, only to issue a dual endorsement of both her and Wilson once the race went to a runoff.
MyPillow founder and election skeptic Mike Lindell was similarly defeated in the Minnesota gubernatorial primary by Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth.
Trump’s influence is set to face another challenge in an upcoming special election in South Carolina. Trump has strongly supported Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C) as a long-term successor to her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and plans to rally with her publicly this Friday.
Despite her lack of experience in elected office, including recent comments where she acknowledged being “not that informed on national security,” Graham will go head-to-head with Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) in a runoff next week.
