Trump’s Endorsement Record Sits at 163-10 After Perfect Picks in KS, MI, MO

President Donald Trump smiles at supporters as he arrives to speak at a rally, Wednesday,
AP/Charlie Neibergall
Nick Gilbertson

Candidates backed by former President Donald J. Trump are now 163-10 in statewide and federal races in 2022 after a perfect night in Kansas, Michigan, and Missouri. His candidates are undefeated so far in Arizona – but results are still pending in the gubernatorial race – while he also has two candidates in Washington whose races are still awaiting results.

All five of the 45th president’s picks in Kansas officially secured their nominations Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press election results compiled by the New York Times. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) handily beat out his primary challenger Joan Farr, while Attorney General Derek Schmidt blew out his opponent Arlyn Briggs in the contest for the gubernatorial nomination. Reps. Tracey Mann (R-KS), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), and Ron Estes (R-KS) officially clinched their nominations as well.

It was a similar story in Michigan, where all eight candidates with Trump’s backing advanced to the general election. John Gibbs and GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon headlined the contests in the Great Lake State. Gibbs proved victorious in his race against Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), who was one of the ten impeachment Republicans. Dixon advanced to the general after securing 40.6 percent of the vote, nearly doubling her closest competitor Kevin Rinke at 21.9 percent.

The remaining Trump-backed candidates who secured nominations in Michigan include:

  • Rep. Jack Bergman – Republican nominee for the First Congressional District
  • Rep. John Moolenaar – Republican nominee for the Second Congressional District
  • Rep. Bill Huizenga – Republican nominee for the Fourth Congressional District
  • Rep. Tim Walberg – Republican nominee for the Fifth Congressional District
  • Rep. Lisa McClain – Republican nominee for the Ninth Congressional District
  • John James – Republican nominee for the Tenth Congressional District

The winning continued in Missouri, where Attorney General Eric Schmitt – one of the “ERIC[s]” Trump endorsed in the race Monday night – clinched the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. Reps. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Sam Graves (R-MO), and Jason Smith (R-MO) all advanced to the general election in their reelection bids.

Out in Arizona, Blake Masters, along with five other candidates, took home nominations, while three races remain undecided, though Trump-endorsed candidates lead them all. Masters ran as a populist candidate and beat out opponents including Jim Lamon and Mark Brnovich, securing 39 percent of the vote with 78 percent reporting.

Trump-backed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake has taken an over 11,000 vote lead with 80 percent of the vote reported in her contest against Karrin Taylor Robson, who is backed by former Vice President Mike Pence. Further results in the race from Maricopa County are not expected until 7:00 p.m. local time, according to county Recorder Stephen Richer.

Aside from Masters, the other five candidates who clinched nominations Tuesday include:

  • Eli Crane – Republican nominee for the Second Congressional District
  • Rep. Andy Biggs  – Republican nominee for the Fifth Congressional District
  • Rep. Debbie Lesko – Republican nominee for the Eighth Congressional District
  • Rep. Paul Gosar – Republican nominee for the Ninth Congressional District
  • State Rep. Mark Finchem – Republican nominee for Secretary of State
  • Abe Hamadeh – Republican nominee for Attorney General
  • Rep. David Schweikert – Republican nominee for the First Congressional District

Similar to Arizona, results have stalled in Washington State, where Trump-backed candidates Joe Kent and Lauren Culp challenged pro-impeachment Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA). Kent sits in third place in the open primary race for the Third Congressional District with 57 percent reporting, while Culp is also in third place with 47 percent reporting in the Fourth Congressional District. Both candidates need to come in at least second place in order to ensure their advancements to the general election.

Trump entered the evening with an endorsement record of 147-10 following a major win in Maryland, where his candidate Dan Cox blew out Kelly Schulz, who was endorsed by Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD). His endorsement record is now perfect in 26 states in statewide and federal races following Tuesday, and it could very well grow by the end of Wednesday: 

  1. Texas:  24-0
  2. Indiana: 6-0
  3.  Ohio: 16-0
  4. West Virginia: 2-0 
  5. Kentucky: 6-0 
  6. Pennsylvania: 8-0 
  7. Alabama: 6-0 
  8. Arkansas: 5-0 
  9. California: 7-0 [8-0 with Rep. Connie Conway’s (R-CA) special election victory] 
  10. Iowa: 4-0
  11. Mississippi: 1-0 
  12. Montana: 2-0
  13. New Jersey: 1-0 
  14. South Dakota: 1-0 
  15. Nevada: 2-0
  16. North Dakota: 2-0 
  17. Virginia: 4-0 
  18. Alaska: 1-0
  19. Colorado: 1-0 
  20. Illinois: 4-0 
  21. Oklahoma: 4-0 
  22. Utah: 3-0 
  23. Maryland: 1-0
  24. Kansas: 5-0
  25. Missouri: 4-0
  26. Michigan: 7-0

Moreover, the 45th president’s endorsement record remains perfect in his U.S. Senate endorsements with Masters’s win in Arizona, Schmitt’s victory in the Show Me State, and Moran’s win in Kanas. The thirteen other U.S. Senate candidates who have prevailed in their primaries include:

  1. J.D. Vance — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Ohio
  2. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Idaho
  3. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Kentucky
  4. Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in North Carolina
  5. Dr. Mehmet Oz — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania
  6. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) — Republican nominee for U.S Senate in Arkansas
  7. Herschel Walker — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Georgia
  8. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Iowa
  9. Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Nevada
  10. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in North Dakota
  11. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in South Carolina
  12. Katie Britt — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Alabama
  13. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) — Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Utah

The midterm primaries pick up again Thursday night in Tennessee.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.