Trump-Backed Candidates are 81-3 in Primaries Ahead of Races in Alabama, Arkansas, and Georgia

Republican candidates who have earned former President Donald Trump’s much-coveted endorsement are 81-3 in midterm primary races following 23 victories and two losses in last week’s contests in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Idaho.

Pennsylvania

The much-anticipated primary for the Republican Senate nomination in Pennsylvania between Trump-endorsed candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz and businessman David McCormick remains too close to call and is likely headed for a recount. Oz led by a margin of “1,078 votes out of more than 1.3 million cast as of Saturday,” Breitbart News noted. 

Republican operative David Urban told SiriusXM’s Breitbart News Saturday he believes McCormick will prevail over Oz. 

“I would say … when all of these ballots that were cast are counted, McCormick will be ahead, as we head into the recount, when they’re all counted,” Urban said. “Now, again, that’s going to be a couple days here, but they’ll be done this coming week is my suspicion.”

David McCormick, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, speaks during a campaign stop in Lititz on Friday, May 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Doug Mastriano secured the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Pennsylvania following a late endorsement from former President Donald J. Trump over the weekend.

Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin takes part in a forum in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, April 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

“There is no one in Pennsylvania who has done more, or fought harder, for Election Integrity than State Senator Doug Mastriano,” Trump wrote in a statement released Saturday.

“He has revealed the Deceit, Corruption, and outright Theft of the 2020 Presidential Election, and will do something about it,” Trump continued. “He will also Fight Violent Crime, Strengthen our Borders, Protect Life, Defend our under-siege Second Amendment, and Help our Military and our Vets. He is a fighter like few others, and has been with me right from the beginning, and now I have an obligation to be with him.”

Prior to the 45th President’s backing, Mastriano was polling well. In a Trafalgar Poll that sampled 1,080 likely G.O.P. voters between May 6-8 and has a margin of error of 2.99 percent, Mastriano garnered the support of 27.6 of respondents – precisely 10 percentage points higher than Lou Barletta, who received the second-most support at 17.6 percent. Mastriano will face Democratic nominee Joe Shapiro in the general election.

Per AP primary results, the rest of the Trump-backed candidates who proved victorious in Pennsylvania include:

• Jim Bognet – Republican nominee for the Eighth Congressional District
• Rep. Scott Perry – Republican nominee for the Tenth Congressional District
• Rep. Lloyd Smucker – Republican nominee for the Eleventh Congressional District
• Rep. John Joyce – Republican nominee for the Thirteenth Congressional District
• Rep. Guy Reschenthaler – Republican nominee for the Fourteenth Congressional District
• Rep. Mike Kelly – Republican nominee for the Sixteenth Congressional District

North Carolina

Trump-backed candidate Rep. Ted Budd handily won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina, beating out former North Carolina Gov. Pat McRory. Budd currently serves the state’s 13th District in the U.S. House of Representatives and earned Trump’s endorsement back in June of 2021, as Breitbart News noted.

“This gentleman is going to be your next senator. He’s going to be somebody that you’re going to be so proud of,” the 45th President said at the time.

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Ted Budd, of North Carolina, exits after speaking to the crowd before former President Donald Trump takes the stage at a rally Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Selma, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

“He will fight like hell. … He will fight like nobody fights, and a lot of you don’t know him that well, but you’re going to know him probably within about two minutes,” Trump added.

Budd will square off against Democrat Senate nominee Cheri Beasley come November.

Embattled North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn lost his bid for re-nomination to challenger Chuck Edwards in the state’s eleventh Congressional District. Cawthorn, a one-term congressman, found himself amid a myriad of controversies. Edwards, a state senator, received an endorsement from former Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Per AP primary results, the other Trump-endorsed candidates who won their primaries in North Carolina include:

• Rep. Greg Murphy – Republican nominee for the Third Congressional District
• Rep. Virginia Foxx – Republican nominee for the Fifth Congressional District
• Rep. David Rouzer – Republican nominee for the Seventh Congressional District
• Rep. Dan Bishop – Republican nominee for the Eighth Congressional District
• Rep. Richard Hudson – Republican nominee for Ninth Congressional District
• Rep. Patrick McHenry – Republican nominee for the tenth Congressional District
• Bo Hines – Republican nominee for the Thirteenth Congressional District

Kentucky and Idaho

President Trump went a perfect six for six in his Kentucky endorsements on Tuesday evening. Senator Rand Paul (R) won his nomination for reelection, trouncing his competition, while Trump-backed candidates — Reps. James Comer, Brett Guthrie, Thomas Massie, Hal Rodgers, and Andy Barr — earned nominations in each of their primaries.

Republican Gov. Brad Little secured the nomination for his reelection campaign, beating out challenger Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who received Trump’s endorsement. McGeachin marks just the third Trump-backed candidate to lose a race in the 2022 primary cycle, along with Cawthorn and Charles Herbster, who lost his bid for the nomination in the Nebraska gubernatorial race. Little will square off against Democratic nominee Stephen Heidt in the general election. Trump-backed incumbents Sen. Mike Crapo and Rep. Russ Fulcher both earned their respective nominations. 

Last week, three of the four candidates backed by the 45th president secured primary wins in West Virginia and Nebraska, while one candidate fell — marking the first blemish on Trump’s otherwise perfect endorsement record to that point. The May 10 races followed primaries in Indiana and Ohio on May 3, which saw all 22 Trump-backed candidates prove victories in their respective races. Back in March, Trump was perfect in his endorsement of Texas candidates, as all 33 candidates who received his nod either won their primaries or advanced to runoffs. Of all the May 3 races, perhaps J.D. Vance’s victory offered the most to learn regarding the Republican parties landscape after he rode a late Trump endorsement to victory.

Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich told Breitbart News.

JD Vance put in tremendous work and has immense political talent—which put him in the position to earn the support of President Trump—but it was the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump that took a candidate who many insiders said was in 4th and at single digits in the polls, and in only two weeks, propelled him into a commanding first place finish.

The 2022 midterm primary season continues Tuesday, May 24, in Alabama, Arkansas, and Georgia.