Trump-Backed Primary Candidates Score in Arizona and Michigan, Fall in Washington

Former president Donald Trump’s endorsees were on ballots in five Aug. 2 Republican primaries, scoring wins in Arizona and Michigan, dual defeats in Washington state, and a draw, of sorts, in Missouri.

For those keeping score at home, according to a Ballotpedia analysis of the 2022 primary cycle through Aug. 2, 12 of 15 Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidates have won Republican primaries with four pending; 99 of 104 U.S. House Trump endorsees have advanced with more than 20 pending; 15 of 16 U.S. Senate candidates with his nod have advanced with four pending.

The vast majority are incumbents who faced no or nominal primary challenges.

Of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, four have retired, three survived primary challenges by Trump-backed candidates, two lost their seats to America First inter-party rivals, and one—Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.)—awaits her fate in Wyoming’s Aug. 16 Republican primary.

Looking ahead, Trump has made several notable endorsements in Wisconsin’s Aug. 9 GOP primaries, including Tim Michels for governor, incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), and Derrick van Orden in the Republican primary for the state’s Congressional District 3.

Trump has also issued several prominent endorsements in Aug. 16 primaries.

Most notably: Kelly Tshibaka in her Alaska campaign against moderate three-term incumbent Sen. Lisa  Murkowski (R-Alaska), and the long-anticipated showdown in Wyoming’s GOP congressional district primary between Harriet Hageman and Cheney, co-chair of the House Jan. 6 investigation committee and an avowed, vocal antagonizer of the former president.

Here is a roundup of how key Trump-endorsed candidates fared in the Aug. 2 primaries:

Arizona Secretary of State

State Rep. Mark Finchem (R-Oro Valley) defeated his closest rival Beau Lane, scoring 38 percent of the vote. Lane received 26 percent with two other hopefuls drawing at least 16 percent in a crowded field.

Finchem has made election integrity a