Trump's endorsement power will be put to the test in Tuesday's primaries
Former President Donald Trump endorsed candidates in competitive GOP primaries for House, Senate and governor in Maine, Nevada, North Dakota and South Carolina.
The power of former President Donald Trump’s endorsement will be put to the test on Tuesday, with his preferred candidates facing hotly contested Republican primary battles across the country.
Trump has waded into Senate, House and gubernatorial primaries in Maine, Nevada, North Dakota and South Carolina as he aims to further demonstrate his influence among the GOP base and shape the future of the party. Tuesday’s primaries also come less than two weeks after Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts in the New York hush money case.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has notably sought to shore up two GOP members of Congress from South Carolina who are facing conservative challengers.
Former President Donald Trump points to the crowd after speaking Sunday, June 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. John Locher / APHe is backing Rep. Nancy Mace, who had previously been critical of Trump, as she faces a well-funded primary opponent in attorney Catherine Templeton. After initially calling for the GOP to move on from Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Mace won over her 2022 primary challenger, Katie Arrington, who had Trump’s endorsement.
Mace went on to ardently support Trump in the 2024 presidential primary and won his endorsement for re-election. While Trump’s support is coveted in GOP primaries, he lost Mace’s Charleston-area 1st Congressional District to Nikki Haley in February while winning the state’s primary overall.
Rating: 5