Trump-backed candidates fared poorly in several recent Republican primaries: Amir Hassan, Andy Ogles, and Mike Lindell were defeated, while Darline Graham is well below the 50% needed to avoid a runoff. Hassan lost by over 10,000 votes despite his opponent having stopped campaigning; Lindell trailed by roughly 11 points and 45,000 votes. These losses indicate a diminished or inconsistent impact of Trump endorsements as the midterms approach.
Trump’s Endorsements Falter: Most GOP Picks Lose or Fall Short in Recent Primaries
Republican Voters Keep Rejecting Trump-Endorsed Candidates
Claims about President Trump’s ability to handpick winners appear to have been overstated in recent Republican primaries. Four Trump-backed candidates—Amir Hassan (Michigan), Andy Ogles (Tennessee), Mike Lindell (Minnesota), and Darline Graham (South Carolina)—saw disappointing results, with three losing outright and one falling well short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff.
Michigan: Amir Hassan was defeated by Thomas Smith by more than 10,000 votes, even though Smith had stopped active campaigning and announced his withdrawal from the race earlier.
Tennessee: Incumbent Representative Andy Ogles lost to Charlie Hatcher following a campaign affected by scandal and redistricting.
Minnesota: Mike Lindell, best known as the MyPillow founder, trailed Minnesota House Speaker Lisa DeMuth by roughly 11 percentage points and more than 45,000 votes; Lindell initially refused to concede.
South Carolina: Darline Graham—who had been informally anointed after her brother’s death—remains significantly under the 50% threshold and now faces a runoff against Ralph Northam.
These were primary contests—the settings where the most motivated partisan voters typically turn out and where Trump-style endorsements would be expected to carry particular weight. Instead, Republican primary voters in these contests rejected multiple Trump-backed hopefuls, a pattern that could signal trouble for the GOP heading into the November midterms.
What This Means: While endorsements can still influence races, recent results suggest limits to the former president’s ability to dictate outcomes across diverse state contests. Candidates facing local controversies, redistricting, or limited campaign infrastructure appeared especially vulnerable despite high-profile backing.
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