UMVA has learned that President Donald Trump's endorsement power proved to be a game-changer in Tuesday's GOP primaries, with candidates he backed winning all 37 races across the country.
The president took to social media to tout his success, telling reporters, "We won all races last night. Every one of them." This display of Trump's influence was particularly notable in high-profile showdowns, including the ousting of Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District by Trump-backed Ed Gallrein.
Gallrein's nearly ten-point victory over Massie, a long-time vocal critic of Trump, represents a major win for the president's political operation and pro-Israel allied groups, who spent heavily to unseat the sitting lawmaker. Massie had repeatedly taken aim at Trump over foreign policy and had pushed for the release of government files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The brute force of Trump's endorsement power and his immense grip on the Republican Party were on full display, with some warning that this heavy hand in this year's primaries could cause repercussions in the autumn when Republicans will be defending their razor-thin House and slim Senate majorities in the midterm elections.
Two weeks after purging five state senators in Indiana's primary who had opposed his push for congressional redistricting, and three days after helping to oust Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Trump obliterated Massie, a thorn in his side for 14 years. Gallrein thanked Trump for his support, saying, "My focus is on advancing the president's and the party's agenda to put America first and Kentucky always."
White House communications director Steven Cheung took to social media after Massie's defeat, warning, "Do not ever doubt President Trump and his political power. F--k around, find out." Veteran Republican strategist Ryan Williams noted, "The Republican Party is Trump's party, and if you cross him, he'll hit back at you ten times as hard and defeat you."
Meanwhile, Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky, backed by Trump in recent days, cruised to the Republican Senate nomination in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a top Trump ally in the Senate, easily captured the GOP gubernatorial nomination in solidly red Alabama.
However, some Trump-backed candidates will have to wait a little longer before securing a ticket to the general election. Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones of Georgia finished first in the GOP gubernatorial primary but didn't top 50%, forcing a runoff next month with billionaire businessman Rick Jackson.
In a potentially concerning development for Republicans, Trump's endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn in the Lone Star State's runoff election for the Republican nomination has raised eyebrows. Democrats feel Trump gave them an early Christmas gift by backing Paxton, who has faced a slew of scandals and legal problems over the past decade.
The winner of the GOP runoff will face off in the autumn with rising Democratic Party star state Rep. James Talarico, who has built a massive war chest this year. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and many GOP leaders in the nation's capital had seen Cornyn as the candidate better equipped to successfully defend the seat in Texas, which Democrats are trying to flip.
