Trump Touts Perfect GOP Primary Endorsement Record in 2026
President Trump has achieved a perfect 118-0 endorsement record in 2026 Republican primaries, including wins in 110 congressional and eight gubernatorial races that ousted several GOP incumbents.
According to New York Post, the 79-year-old president has backed winning candidates in 110 congressional primaries — comprising 101 House races and nine Senate contests — alongside eight successful gubernatorial campaigns. The sweep includes some of the most fiercely contested races of the cycle.
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) told New York Post that Trump has fundamentally reshaped the Republican Party. Support the America First agenda or lose your election, he said.
Several longtime Republican incumbents have fallen victim to Trump’s electoral clout. Among them were Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), as well as the president’s House adversary, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).
Cassidy’s primary defeat on May 16 marked the first time since Indiana’s Richard Lugar in 2012 that a sitting Republican senator failed to secure his party’s nomination during a regular election cycle.
Trump’s endorsement power extends beyond federal races. Earlier this month, five of seven Indiana state senators who opposed him on mid-decade redistricting lost their primaries to Trump-backed challengers, with one result heading to a recount.
Even veteran Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf acknowledged the president’s commanding position. He told New York Post that the Republicans have real leadership that is unquestionable, with party faithful responding directly to Trump’s direction.
Record Surpasses Previous Cycles
The president has endorsed Republican candidates in 295 primaries for 2026, though only about one-third of GOP primaries have concluded so far. His perfect record this cycle significantly outpaces his 2018 midterm performance, when he achieved a 95 percent success rate from just 37 total endorsements.
In 2022, Trump’s chosen candidates recorded a 93 percent success rate, which improved to 96 percent in 2024, according to Ballotpedia data.
Henry Olsen, an elections expert and senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said Trump’s kingmaker status would persist at least until his second term ends in January 2029. Olsen explained that Trump has successfully combined a charismatic personality with a worldview that represents constituencies previously without such representation.
America First Agenda Drives Primary Victories
Trump-backed candidates are characterized by aggressive nationalism focused on pursuing American interests rather than international alliance priorities, Olsen noted. They also champion efforts to root out non-American ways of life being promoted by public and private institutions of power.
That philosophical perspective now represents a majority view among Republicans, Olsen said. The change will outlast Trump’s personal endorsement power, remaining the dominant feature of Republican primaries for the foreseeable future.
Trump has weaponized his endorsement strength both to prevent messy primary battles and to pursue political retribution. In Michigan, he endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for Senate early, clearing the field and allowing the GOP to focus resources on what party strategists view as a critical pickup opportunity.
More Tests of Loyalty Ahead
Additional loyalty tests may be forthcoming after Trump threatened Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) with a primary challenge over her support for Massie. However, a source familiar with the president’s thinking indicated that Trump is not currently focused on Boebert, describing it as a next-cycle consideration for 2028.
With Republicans facing historical headwinds in the November 3 midterm elections, the Trump team has exercised greater care in vetting potential endorsees. Some GOP strategists believed candidate quality was an issue during the 2022 midterms.
With information from New York Post
