{"id":2281606,"date":"2024-06-22T07:06:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-22T11:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-art-of-the-endorsement-what-goes-into-trumps-primary-picks\/"},"modified":"2024-06-22T07:07:57","modified_gmt":"2024-06-22T11:07:57","slug":"the-art-of-the-endorsement-what-goes-into-trumps-primary-picks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-art-of-the-endorsement-what-goes-into-trumps-primary-picks\/","title":{"rendered":"The strategy behind Trump&#8217;s primary endorsements"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">12<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthe-art-of-the-endorsement-what-goes-into-trumps-primary-picks%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2281606&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former President Donald \u200dTrump&#8217;s endorsements have become a vital asset in \u2063Republican politics, \u2064significantly influencing outcomes in primary elections. Despite expectations, Trump\u2062 has often endorsed more centrist candidates rather than \u200caligning strictly with the far\u200b right, creating tensions within \u200bthe party. In 2022 and 2020, endorsements by Trump have \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-armed-services-senators-press-austin-to-send-spare-iron-dome-batteries\/\" title=\"Senators urge Austin to dispatch additional Iron Dome batteries for Israel's war.\">proven highly effective<\/a>, with success rates of 93% and 97% in primaries, respectively, and substantial influence in general elections as well.<\/p>\n<p>However, Trump\u2019s strategy of supporting more electable candidates over strictly loyal figures has led to controversies. For instance, his endorsement over personal disagreements, as seen\u2062 in the Virginia primary between Rep. Bob Good and John McGuire, has highlighted the personal nature of some endorsements. \u200bElsewhere, \u200bTrump has endorsed candidates like Sam Brown in\u200b Nevada and Larry Hogan in Maryland, both seen as more\u2063 viable in general elections\u2063 despite\u200d criticisms from more staunch Trump supporters.<\/p>\n<p>This approach aims to secure broader\u2063 electoral \u2062success but has\u200b sparked\u2064 debates about \u200bideological purity vs.\u2063 electoral pragmatism within the Republican Party. Trump&#8217;s endorsements continue to shape the political landscape, demonstrating his ongoing \u200binfluence over\u200d the party&#8217;s direction and candidate selection.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/endorsements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Endorsements<\/a> from former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Donald Trump\">Donald Trump<\/a> have become the most coveted currency in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Donald Trump\">Republican<\/a> politics, often being the deciding factor in primaries.<\/p>\n<p>Scoring a Trump endorsement is more complicated than simply praising or aligning with him, however, as seen by recent primaries in Nevada, Ohio, and Virginia. Trump has surprised many by choosing more centrist candidates, often in alignment with more establishment Republicans. The trend has led to tension among further right figures and candidates.<\/p>\n<p>A Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Endorsements_by_Donald_Trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"endorsement\">endorsement<\/a> is almost a surefire way of emerging victorious in a Republican primary \u2014 93% of his endorsements in 2022 and 97% of endorsements in 2020 ended in victory.<\/p>\n<p>His general election endorsements also have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/first-omicron-variant-case-detected-in-u-s-case-is-mild-officials-say\/\" title=\"First Omicron Variant Case Detected In U.S.; Case Is Mild, Officials Say\">good track record<\/a>, with 83% in 2022 and 78% in 2020 bringing victories.<\/p>\n<p>But Trump\u2019s efforts to boost his general election endorsements by choosing candidates viewed as more electable has led to tension with further right supporters and allies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGenerally, there is a belief that President Trump is endorsing a whole bunch of squishes across the country,\u201d a source close to the House Freedom Caucus <a href=\"https:\/\/www.notus.org\/trump-2024\/freedom-caucus-trump-endorsements\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">told<\/a> <em>NOTUS<\/em>. The source was particularly nervous about the race between Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) and John McGuire, saying it was \u201cpart of that pattern of endorsing people who are more like Mike Rogers than Donald Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rogers, who won Trump\u2019s endorsement for Michigan\u2019s open Senate seat in March, has been a major critic of the former president in the past, bashing his stance on Russia in 2018 and not committing to endorsing his 2024 presidential bid if confirmed as the Republican nominee. The two appear to have settled their feud, with Trump saying Rogers will be a \u201cGreat and Powerful Senator\u201d and that \u201cHE KNOWS HOW TO WIN!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Some Trump allies defended his centrist endorsements.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTrump is the GOP nominee for president and is in cycle, so obviously he is going to endorse the members of Congress who endorsed his presidential campaign during the primaries,\u201d a Trump ally told <em>NOTUS<\/em>. \u201cInversely, he\u2019s probably not going to support the campaign of the members who endorsed against him. Bob Good may be a good conservative, but if he didn\u2019t want Trump to endorse against him, he shouldn\u2019t have endorsed against Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Good\u2019s primary race was the most personal, as Trump endorsed Good\u2019s rival over a slight last year when the congressman endorsed Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for president. The former president never forgave him, despite the two largely aligning on political stances, and the Virginia Republican\u2019s attendance at Trump\u2019s Manhattan hush-money trial.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Good] was constantly attacking and fighting me until recently, when he gave a warm and \u2018loving\u2019 Endorsement \u2014 But really, it was too late,\u201d Trump said in a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/112611520070964739\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">post<\/a> on Truth Social. \u201cThe damage had been done! I just want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and the person that can most help me do that is Navy Seal and highly respected State Legislator, John McGuire, a true American Hero.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>McGuire also largely aligns with Trump, even having attended demonstrations around the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He was also heavily backed by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who is out for revenge against the eight Republicans who voted to oust him.<\/p>\n<p>Good\u2019s race is largely the exception in Trump\u2019s reasoning, however \u2014 most races aren\u2019t personal.<\/p>\n<p>In Nevada, the former president endorsed Purple Heart awardee Sam Brown for Senate over the explicitly Trump-aligned Republican businessman Jeff Gunter, who served as the ambassador to Iceland during the Trump administration. Brown has the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and NRSC Chairman Steve Daines (R-MT) and other party officials reportedly pressured Trump to endorse Brown over the seemingly less-electable Gunter.<\/p>\n<p>In a rare move, Gunter openly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3037001\/nevada-senate-candidate-lashes-out-after-trump-snub-in-favor-of-sam-brown\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">defied<\/a> Trump, alleging corruption within his campaign. He even issued a few light jabs against his former boss.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe love Trump, but he is human and gets it wrong sometimes,\u201d a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/fatjake300\/status\/1800513383936180243\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">post<\/a> reposted by Gunter reads. \u201cGunter for Nevada!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Trump campaign reacted angrily, further cementing Gunter\u2019s demise. Brown won the primary by a crushing 40 points.<\/p>\n<p>One candidate who has created tensions within the party is former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a rare Republican governor of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-gop-rep-david-valadao-flips-california-house-seat-its-the-third-pickup-in-the-state-for-republicans\/\" title=\"Former GOP Rep. David Valadao flips California House seat. It's the third pickup in the state for Republicans.\">deep blue state<\/a>. The popular governor has a good shot at winning the Senate seat, flipping it, but he would also be one of the biggest anti-Trump figures in Congress.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans have been split over whether or not to tolerate Hogan\u2019s anti-Trump sentiment in order to flip the Senate. Many GOP senators are begging the Republican National Committee to tolerate the former governor to flip the Senate, arguing that an anti-Trump Republican would be better than any Democrat.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve got to\u00a0give him latitude to win his race in Maryland,\u201d Sen.\u00a0Thom Tillis\u00a0(R-NC) <a href=\"https:\/\/punchbowl.news\/archive\/6424-punchbowl-news-am\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told<\/a> <em>Punchbowl<\/em> <em>News<\/em>. \u201cWhat we don\u2019t want to do is have a scenario where we win the White House and we don\u2019t have a majority in the Senate. That would make no sense at all. President Trump would get nothing done.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump endorsed Hogan in the Senate race during his visit to Capitol Hill earlier this month, saying that he\u2019d \u201clike to see him win.\u201d Keen to avoid being linked to Trump, which could cost him centrist votes, Hogan\u2019s campaign responded by saying he would not endorse the former president.<\/p>\n<p>The calculation to support more electable candidates over strict loyalists played out again in Nevada, where Trump\u2019s endorsement went against one of the state GOPs most loyal to him.<\/p>\n<p>In Colorado, home to a Republican Party that has emerged as one of the most loyal to Trump, the former president went against its endorsement and showed his support for state Rep. Gabe Evans. The Colorado GOP has campaigned against Evans, instead endorsing former state Rep. Janak Joshi, an Indian immigrant.<\/p>\n<p>Evans, a veteran, has aligned himself with Trump, <a href=\"https:\/\/coloradotimesrecorder.com\/2024\/06\/co-congressional-candidate-evans-refused-to-say-the-2020-prez-election-was-legitimate-then-trump-endorsed-him-was-there-a-connection\/62456\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"voicing support\">voicing support<\/a> for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Despite Evans having Trump\u2019s \u201cComplete and Total Endorsement,\u201d the state Republican Party stuck to its guns, arguing that Evans was not properly pro-Trump enough. It pointed to Evans\u2019s endorsement by Americans for Prosperity Action, a Koch network-funded group, as evidence that he wouldn\u2019t be loyal to Trump.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe respect his decision but will stick with Joshi, especially since we can\u2019t trust Evans to actually support Trump when it counts,\u201d Colorado Republican Party chairman Dave Williams <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coloradopolitics.com\/elections\/2024\/donald-trump-endorses-republican-gabe-evans-in-colorados-battleground-8th-congressional-district\/article_7474ee94-220d-11ef-af29-ff4dbcf7b3b7.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">told<\/a><em>  Colorado Politics<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1671625\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1671625\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former President Donald Trump&#8217;s endorsements are highly sought after in Republican politics, often tipping the scales in primaries. Securing his backing involves more than just alignment or praise, as evidenced by his unexpected choices in recent Nevada, Ohio, and Virginia primaries, where he favored more centrist candidates, surprising many<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2281607,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24170815002144-1-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2281606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24170815002144-1-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2281606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2281606"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2281606\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2281607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2281606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2281606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2281606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}