With only five months remaining until the 2026 elections, President Donald Trump maintains a nearly flawless record regarding his endorsements of Republican primary candidates. Although his nationwide popularity has faced challenges, Trump remains the central figure of the Make America Great Again movement, with very few of his preferred candidates failing to secure wins this year.
Data compiled by Ballotpedia reveals that the president holds a 98% success rate across 312 primary endorsements, covering congressional, statewide, and state legislative contests. Trump highlighted this performance following a series of successful outcomes on June 23, where over a dozen of his picks emerged victorious. This included upstate New York sticker company CEO Anthony Constantino, who defeated the state GOP’s preferred candidate, Assembly member Robert Smullen, by roughly 20 percentage points for a seat formerly held by Rep. Elise Stefanik.
While Trump claimed a “16-0” record in a social media post, a detailed analysis shows a more complex reality. Several of these victories involved unopposed incumbents, such as New York Rep. Mike Lawler, and the president counted the South Carolina gubernatorial runoff as two wins by endorsing both participants. Nevertheless, Trump’s influence has significantly disrupted the careers of veteran lawmakers. Figures like Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie were ousted following disagreements with the president, and he also targeted state legislators in Indiana who defied his congressional map redistricting.
Political experts, such as Rice University professor Mark P. Jones, note that Trump’s level of intervention is unprecedented for a modern president. Unlike past presidents who avoided internal party conflicts, Trump actively shapes Republican politics at all levels. For example, in Texas, he supported Attorney General Ken Paxton against Cornyn and backed Don Huffines for state comptroller, helping Huffines secure a victory with 57% of the vote.
Trump has also accelerated the timing of his endorsements, often making them months in advance to discourage primary competition. In Kentucky, he successfully pressured businessman Nate Morris to exit the U.S. Senate primary in favor of Rep. Andy Barr by offering a potential ambassadorship. However, this strategy is not without friction; in instances where local GOP sentiment resists his choice, such as the South Carolina gubernatorial runoff, Trump has avoided potential embarrassment by endorsing both leading candidates.
The emphasis on loyalty has created internal tension, including a reported shouting match between Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy over Iran policy. While these tactics solidify his base, they may complicate general election efforts for Republicans in competitive swing districts. Recent polling shows a significant gap between Trump’s high approval among Republican voters and his lower standing among independents, leading Democrats to attempt to link GOP candidates directly to the president’s policies. Despite some losses, such as Rep. Randy Feenstra’s defeat in Iowa and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’s loss in Georgia, Trump continues to aggressively assert his role in defining the future of the Republican party agenda.
