WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — President Donald Trump swept the board Tuesday night as candidates he endorsed won numerous Republican congressional primaries, demonstrating his hold on the party remains strong despite the turbulence of his second term.
May 19 saw primaries for U.S. House and Senate seats in Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, with Trump endorsements winning the day in the most high-profile races.
In Alabama, Trump-backed U.S. Rep. Barry Moore won the primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Tommy Tuberville for his gubernatorial run. In Georgia, Rep. Mike Collins and Derek Dooley are both advancing to the June 16 runoff, though while Collins has been described as “Trump-aligned,” the president did not endorse anyone in the race. In Idaho, incumbent Sen. Jim Risch staved off primary challenges, as did Reps. Russ Fulcher and Michael Simpson. All three had Trump’s blessing.
In Kentucky, Trump-backed Rep. Andy Barr won his primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mitch McConnell, and his picks Reps. James Comer, Brett Guthrie, and Hal Rogers held onto their current seats. Ed Gallrein pulled off a nine-point upset against incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie, whom Trump had singled out for opposition more than any of Tuesday’s other contenders.
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In Oregon, the U.S. Senate race was still too close to call as of 10 a.m. CST Wednesday, but Barbara Kahl, Cliff Bentz, Loran Ayles, Monique DeSpain, Patti Adair, and David Russ all won their respective GOP primaries. Trump did not make endorsements in the state.
And in Pennsylvania, Trump-backed GOP candidates Scott Perry, Lloyd Smucker, John Joyce, Guy Reschenthaler, Glenn Thompson, Mike Kelly, Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan Jr., and Dan Meuser all won.
“President Trump is having a great May, at least when it comes to asserting his political control over the Republican Party,” Decision Desk HQ’s Geoffrey Skelley summarized. “His endorsed primary challengers won five of seven state Senate contests in Indiana on May 5. Then Sen. Bill Cassidy lost in Louisiana’s May 16 Republican primary. And last night, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie lost to Trump-endorsed primary challenger Ed Gallrein. Next Tuesday, it looks like it may be Sen. John Cornyn’s turn in Texas after Trump endorsed his primary opponent, state Attorney General Ken Paxton.”
The outcomes indicate that, while the president continues to struggle with an overall 17.8 percent job disapproval rating and widespread discontent with his handling of issues such as abortion pills, federal spending, tariffs, the Iran war, and mass deportations, rank-and-file voters within the GOP are still far from willing to revolt.
How these candidates will fare in November’s midterm general elections may be a different story, however. RaceToTheWH currently projects Republicans to just barely hold the Senate and Democrats to take the House of Representatives.