More than a dozen Republican candidates have lost their elections this year after being endorsed by President Donald Trump. The overwhelming majority of candidates he’s endorsed have won their state and federal primary and runoff elections.
Of the dozens of Republican congressional candidates Trump has endorsed, four lost races this month.
On August 18, two lost in Florida.
In Florida’s Congressional District 7, incumbent U.S. Rep. Cory Mills was defeated by former news anchor Ryan Elijah. Mills is under criminal investigation and under House Ethics Committee investigation for alleged sexual misconduct, domestic abuse and campaign finance violations.
In CD 19, Florida transplant Catalina Lauf lost to media mogul Jim Schwartzel.
On August 4, in Michigan’s CD 8, Trump-endorsed Amir Hassan lost by 17 points to Thomas Smith after Smith suspended his campaign three weeks before Election Day and was still on the ballot.
On August 6, in Tennessee’s CD 5, Trump-backed incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles lost to former state Agricultural Commissioner Charlie Hatcher.
So far, five of Trump’s gubernatorial picks have lost and one is headed to a runoff.
In Wyoming, on August 18, state Sen. Eric Barlow beat Trump-endorsed Megan Degenfelder by 15 points in the Republican primary race for governor.
In Minnesota, on August 11, state House Speaker Lisa Demuth defeated Trump-endorsed Mike Lindell by 11 points in the Republican primary race for governor. Lindell refused to concede and on Tuesday announced he would fund a recount and audit every paper ballot, claiming election irregularities occurred.
In South Carolina, on June 9, Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette came out ahead of Attorney General Alan Wilson by two points in a multi-candidate primary race for governor. Trump then endorsed both candidates. She lost the June 23 runoff election by 37 points.
In Georgia, on June 16, Trump-endorsed Burt Jones advanced in a crowded May primary race for governor. He lost the runoff election to billionaire Rick Jackson by five points.
In Iowa, on June 2, Trump-endorsed state Rep. Randy Feenstra lost to businessman Zach Lahn by one point in the Republican primary race for governor.
In Texas, three Trump-endorsed candidates have seen losses.
In Texas’ Republican primary race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Trump-endorsed incumbent Sid Miller lost.
Although Trump-endorsed incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales advanced in a March 3 primary race, he was forced to drop his reelection bid after sex scandals with staffers were exposed and one of the women killed herself. Gonzales refused to resign.
Although not a primary race, Trump’s first-endorsed candidate’s loss this year was in January in Texas. Trump-endorsed Republican Leigh Wambsganss lost a special election in what used to be considered a safe Republican state Senate seat, SD 9, in north Texas. In a major upset, Democrat Taylor Rehmet flipped the seat, which had been held by Republicans for 30 years. They are running against each other in November.
In two state senate races in Indiana and North Carolina, Trump-endorsed candidates lost.
On May 5, Trump-endorsed Brenda Wilson lost her race in Indiana’s SD 8.
On March 3, Trump-endorsed incumbent North Carolin Senate Leader Phil Berger lost his primary race by 23 votes in what is considered one of the greatest upsets in state history.
In several battleground races, Trump-endorsed candidates face uphill battles.
In Texas, Trump-endorsed Attorney General Ken Paxton is trailing in the polls to Democrat state Rep. James Talarico in the U.S. Senate race.
In Michigan, Trump-endorsed incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers is trailing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed by double digits, according to several polls.
On August 25, two Trump-endorsed candidates head to runoff elections in tight races: incumbent U.S. South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham and Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei.