{"id":2615447,"date":"2026-06-18T06:16:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T10:16:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-endorsement-power-faces-new-test-in-governor-races\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T06:20:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T10:20:35","slug":"trump-endorsement-power-faces-new-test-in-governor-races","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-endorsement-power-faces-new-test-in-governor-races\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump endorsement power faces new test in governor races"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/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%2Ftrump-endorsement-power-faces-new-test-in-governor-races%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=2615447&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>President Donald Trump&#8217;s endorsement influence has shown mixed results in recent Republican primaries, especially in gubernatorial races, prompting debate about whether his sway is waning compared to federal races. While Trump-backed candidates like Rep. Mike collins and others performed strongly in Senate and some gubernatorial contests, some of his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-backed-primary-candidates-score-in-arizona-and-michigan-fall-in-washington\/\" title=\"Trump-Backed Primary ... Score in Arizona and Michigan, Fall in Washington\">endorsed gubernatorial candidates<\/a>, such as Rick Jackson in Georgia, lost despite significant self-funding and strong Trump alignment. These outcomes suggest that gubernatorial races are more affected by local factors, candidate quality, and organizational strength than federal races, where national branding and Trump&#8217;s endorsement tend to hold more sway. Experts note that Trump&#8217;s endorsement remains powerful but no longer guarantees victory, especially in races with well-funded opponents or in runoffs requiring broader coalitions. Teh White house defends Trump&#8217;s influence as unmatched in history, but recent results indicate that his support may not be universally decisive across different types of races, particularly state-level executive contests.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s endorsement machine delivered another mixed night in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4612074\/four-takeaways-georgia-dc-alabama-oklahoma-primary\/\">Republican primaries<\/a> this week, fueling a growing debate inside the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\">GOP<\/a> over whether his political influence may be less dominant in gubernatorial contests than in federal races.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Self-funding businessman <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4611810\/rick-jackson-trump-burt-jones-georgia-gubernatorial-runoff\/\">Rick Jackson <\/a>defeated Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones after pouring more than $100 million of his own fortune into the race, while Trump-backed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4609700\/mike-collins-wins-georgia-gop-senate-runoff\/\">Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA)<\/a> cruised to victory in Georgia\u2019s Republican Senate runoff on Tuesday, reinforcing the president\u2019s continued grip on Senate primaries.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4613007\/georgia-gop-lawmakers-call-off-redistricting-special-session\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Georgia GOP lawmakers call off <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/colorado-encourages-parents-to-ignore-federal-vaccine-guideline-changes\/\" title=\"Colorado encourages parents to ignore federal vaccine guideline changes\">redistricting special session<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4612074\/four-takeaways-georgia-dc-alabama-oklahoma-primary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Four takeaways from Georgia, DC, Alabama, and Oklahoma primary elections<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4611358\/dc-mayoral-race-fight-between-left-far-left\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DC mayoral race is fight between \u2018Left\u2019 and \u2018far Left\u2019: Byron York<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The split-screen outcome came just weeks after another Trump-backed gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA), <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4592573\/randy-feenstra-loss-delivers-blow-trump-endorsed-candidate-success-rate\/\">lost his own primary<\/a> despite securing the president\u2019s endorsement. In Oklahoma, Trump-backed gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei was forced into a runoff after finishing behind Attorney General Gentner Drummond in the first round of voting. And in South Carolina, Trump-backed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4601714\/pamela-evette-alan-wilson-runoff-south-carolina-governor\/\">Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette<\/a> is heading into a competitive runoff rather than clearing the field outright.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taken together, the results have prompted some Republicans to question whether governor\u2019s races are simply more resistant to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/meet-the-four-pennsylvania-democrats-who-could-flip-control-of-the-house\/\" title=\"Meet the four Pennsylvania Democrats who could flip control of the House\">national political branding<\/a> and more dependent on local dynamics, donor networks, executive credentials, and candidate quality than Senate or House primaries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGubernatorial races are different because voters are hiring your state\u2019s chief executive, not just selecting a partisan vote in Congress to protect Trump and pass his agenda,\u201d said Republican strategist Dennis Lennox, who is based in Michigan. \u201cThat creates more room for candidates with strong local brands, superior organizations, or deep ties to influential state constituencies to overcome even a Trump endorsement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe farther down the ballot you go, the more local politics reasserts itself,\u201d Lennox said. \u201cA congressional nomination can often be won by successfully nationalizing the race around Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even before polls closed Tuesday, Trump allies were already working to frame a possible Jackson victory not as a repudiation of the president but as evidence of MAGA\u2019s broader dominance inside the Republican Party.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo matter who wins tomorrow, it\u2019s a victory for MAGA,\u201d Donald Trump Jr. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DonaldJTrumpJr\/status\/2066597167398326591?s=20\">wrote on X <\/a>on Monday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By early Wednesday morning, Trump himself had moved to embrace Jackson\u2019s victory on Truth Social.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCongratulations to Rick Jackson, who very successfully campaigned on being \u2018TRUMP,\u2019 and won. He will be your next Governor of Georgia,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116763999742755145\">the president wrote<\/a>. In a separate post, he said: \u201cRick Jackson ran a great TRUMP Campaign. Very smart!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump also praised Jones after the loss, calling the lieutenant governor a \u201cgreat guy\u201d with a \u201cfantastic future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some Republicans argued the recent string of gubernatorial results suggests Trump\u2019s endorsement is no longer politically untouchable.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe endorsement is still powerful, but it\u2019s no longer the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/op-ed-messaging-not-indictment-is-trumps-biggest-hurdle\/\" title=\"...s main obstacle is messaging, not indictment.\">political death sentence<\/a> it once was to run against it,\u201d a national GOP consultant said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. \u201cThe stranglehold is broken. Trump\u2019s endorsement still matters, but we\u2019re seeing more and more examples where it isn\u2019t enough on its own.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The consultant pointed to recent gubernatorial contests in Oklahoma and Georgia, as well as South Carolina\u2019s upcoming runoff, as evidence that Republican voters are increasingly willing to weigh other factors beyond Trump\u2019s backing alone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn Oklahoma, his gubernatorial candidate finished second and was forced into a runoff,\u201d the consultant said. \u201cGeorgia Republicans already showed they\u2019re willing to go another direction, and South Carolina may provide another test. Candidates who assume Trump will do all the work for them are learning that voters still expect them to make their own case.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republican strategist Ford O\u2019Connell argued the Georgia result was less a sign of Trump\u2019s weakening influence than a reflection of Jackson\u2019s unusual candidacy and massive self-funding campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe short answer to your question is no,\u201d O\u2019Connell said when asked whether Trump\u2019s endorsement power was weakening. \u201cHis endorsement is platinum, and candidates will crawl over glass to secure it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">O\u2019Connell argued Jackson represented a rare exception because he entered the race late, spent massive sums of his own money, and built an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >unusually aggressive retail operation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRick Jackson\u2019s a unicorn,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve never seen anything like it, where someone could do this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also pointed to Collins\u2019s Senate runoff victory in Georgia as evidence of Trump\u2019s endorsement remaining highly potent in federal contests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[Derek] Dooley was catching up to Collins,\u201d O\u2019Connell said. \u201cAnd then all of a sudden Collins, everyone\u2019s like, \u2018Oh, Trump endorsed him.\u2019 Boom, double-digit [win].\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other Republicans argued the pattern has less to do with governors versus senators and more to do with the structure of the races themselves.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">National Republican strategist Brian Seitchik said Trump\u2019s endorsement tends to be most powerful in crowded primaries where candidates only need a plurality to win.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe more crowded the field, the more potent the endorsement,\u201d Seitchik said. \u201cIn a one-on-one race, that endorsement is simply less potent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t believe this has anything to do with state races versus federal races,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not a degradation of the endorsement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seitchik argued that in multi-candidate races, Trump-backed candidates can consolidate a loyal base large enough to dominate fragmented opponents. But in runoff elections, campaigns must still build broader coalitions and turnout operations beyond the endorsement itself.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn a large field where all you need is a plurality, the Trump endorsement with the resources to promote it should get you across the finish line,\u201d Seitchik said. \u201cWhen it\u2019s one-on-one, there is more required of the campaign to go and find the votes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some Republicans also pointed to race-specific explanations for Trump-backed candidates underperforming in gubernatorial contests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A national Republican strategist familiar with the Iowa race said Feenstra\u2019s campaign struggled long before Trump endorsed him in the closing days of the contest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA last-minute endorsement from Trump wasn\u2019t going to save something that probably hadn\u2019t been great for a couple months,\u201d the strategist said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The strategist also noted that Jackson never positioned himself against Trump ideologically despite defeating the president\u2019s preferred candidate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRick Jackson still ran as a MAGA Republican guy,\u201d the strategist said. \u201cHe wasn\u2019t running as anti-Trump or anything like that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The White House forcefully rejected any suggestion that Trump\u2019s influence is slipping.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPresident Trump is the unequivocal leader of the Republican Party and his endorsement is the most powerful and influential in the history of American politics,\u201d Olivia Wales, an assistant White House press secretary, said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4611810\/rick-jackson-trump-burt-jones-georgia-gubernatorial-runoff\/\"><strong>RICK JACKSON TOPPLES TRUMP-BACKED LT. GOV. BURT JONES IN GEORGIA GOP GUBERNATORIAL RUNOFF<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, the recent gubernatorial results have highlighted at a minimum that Trump\u2019s endorsement may not function identically across every type of race, particularly when candidates face unusually well-funded opponents, established statewide figures, or the unique demands of executive contests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRunning for governor requires building a coalition of donors, county-level leaders, and state-based interest groups,\u201d Lennox said. \u201cThey have the organization \u2014 and the desire for patronage \u2014 to win.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump\u2019s Endorsement Impact Varies in GOP Races<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2615448,"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\/2026\/06\/AP26168711299719.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[13348,35139,3634],"class_list":["post-2615447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-endorsement","tag-political-power","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26168711299719.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615447","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\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2615447"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2615451,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615447\/revisions\/2615451"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2615448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2615447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2615447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2615447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}