Trump allies failed to get revenge on several Republicans who won their primaries despite opposing him

Tom Porter
Updated ·3 min read
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  • Several Republicans who criticized Trump emerged unscathed from their primaries Tuesday.

  • They include Sen. John Thune, whose political career Trump declared "over."

  • Recent primary results have exposed the limits of Trump's power over the GOP.

Criticizing President Donald Trump was once considered a career-ending move in the GOP.

But primary elections on Tuesday saw victories for several Republicans who defied the former president, showing the limits to his ability to reshape the party.

In South Dakota Sen. John Thune  won a convincing victory over his primary challengers. Thune clashed with Trump over his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results, saying his ploy "would go down like a shot dog"

Trump lashed out at Thune after the remarks, labelling him a "RINO [Republican in name only]" and declaring his political career "over."

Among those trying to unseat Thune was Mark Mowry, who had taken part in the protests in Washington DC ahead of the January 6 riot. (Mowry was not endorsed by Trump in the race.)

Also on the ballot Tuesday were Republicans who voted in favor of creating the January 6 House committee, a move furiously opposed by Trump.

Two of the pro-committee candidates saw off challenges from MAGA candidates who championed the election-fraud conspiracy theories that fueled the riot and have been relentlessly pushed by Trump since.

In Mississippi a similar battle remains undecided: the contest between incumbent Rep. Michael Guest and challenger Michael Cassidy is likely to be decided in a run-off election.

The results are notable because Trump so heavily emphasized supporting his bogus election-fraud claims, making it a key test to prove a candidate's loyalty.

None of the candidates challenging Trump's GOP rivals had been formally endorsed by him, unlike in the Georgia primaries, where Trump's official candidates lost.

But all were backers of Trump's election-fraud "Big Lie," and their loss represents a setback for his agenda.

Overall, Trump remains the dominant figure in the GOP, with his endorsement a highly prized asset.

Many of his high profile endorsees have won their primaries, the most recent being Mehmet Oz, who was this week declared winner in a close-fought primary for a Pennsylvania Senate seat.

But a number of recent primary results have not gone Trump's way, particularly in Georgia where Gov. Brian Kemp trounced Trump-endorsee David Perdue, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger defeated Jody Hice. Both winners had opposed Trump's bid to overturn the election in the state, and Trump had poured energy and resources into trying to unseat them.

The results have some Republican strategists wondering if total fealty to Trump remains a necessity.

Of Trump's influence Bob Heckman, a veteran Republican consultant, told Politico: "Before, it was perceived to be a done deal that Trump could kill you, and now it's not so clear."

Read the original article on Business Insider