UMVA has learned that President Donald Trump's immense influence over the GOP was put to the test in high-stakes Republican runoffs in Georgia and Alabama, with the president's endorsed candidates emerging victorious in two out of three top races.
Trump-backed Rep. Barry Moore, a House Freedom Caucus member and longtime Trump supporter, comfortably defeated rival Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL sniper, in Alabama's GOP Senate runoff, showcasing the power of a Trump endorsement in Republican primaries.
In Georgia's Republican Senate runoff, an 11th-hour endorsement by Trump helped boost Rep. Mike Collins, a MAGA champion, to victory over former college football coach Derek Dooley, who was backed by popular conservative Gov. Brian Kemp.
Collins will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in the general election, a race that will likely decide if the GOP holds its slim majority in the chamber in the midterms, with Trump's endorsement potentially playing a crucial role in the outcome.
However, in Georgia's GOP gubernatorial runoff, Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones was defeated by Rick Jackson, who ran as an outsider and repeatedly highlighted his inspiration from Trump, saying he wanted to bring a business solution approach to the state.
Jackson's victory was marked by his massive spending, with a Trump political operative noting that "Rick Jackson set a record for spending in a statewide Republican primary," which likely had an impact on the outcome.
The operative also emphasized that Jackson's strategy of aligning himself with Trump, using ads and material that highlighted their similarities, made the race not a referendum on the president, but rather a test of Jackson's own strengths.
Veteran Republican strategist Matt Gorman noted that "Rick was a great candidate, and Trump's endorsement can't do all the work," adding that the focus is now on coming together for the fall.
Sen. Ted Cruz, a longtime Trump ally, endorsed Jackson at the last minute and joined him on the campaign trail for a runoff eve rally, saying that "Rick has an extraordinary record, an extraordinary life story, and I also think he's positioned to win."
Cruz's endorsement was seen as an attempt to support a strong conservative candidate who can win, rather than a move to distance himself from Trump, with Cruz quickly responding that "the president and I agree on the vast majority of races."
