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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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Live tally: Trump-endorsed candidates — 14 wins, 1 loss so far.
President Donald Trump’s influence in the 2026 Republican primaries is beginning to take shape, with many of his endorsed candidates winning Tuesday night contests, while at least one high-profile loss highlights limits to his reach.
Key Points
- Trump declared a wave of victories for endorsed candidates, posting "WINS!" on Truth Social
- Several Trump-backed candidates won or advanced in races across Iowa, Montana and South Dakota
- Trump-backed incumbents also prevailed in multiple congressional races
- However, not all endorsements translated into victory, with one notable loss so far
- The mixed results offer an early test of Trump’s influence in the 2026 midterms
Read More on Politics
Trump posted a series of messages on Truth Social as results came in, highlighting victories by candidates he endorsed in Republican primaries.
Primary results provide one of the clearest early indicators of Trump’s continued influence over GOP voters.
Candidates backed by Trump will advance into general elections in several key states, shaping the 2026 midterm battlefield.

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Why It Matters
Trump has issued endorsements in hundreds of races this cycle, positioning himself as a central figure in shaping the Republican field. Tuesday’s results offer an early read on how consistently that influence translates into electoral success.

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Winners: Trump-Backed Candidates Claim Early Victories
Trump moved quickly to frame the night as a success, posting about candidates he had backed across multiple states:
Among the Trump-endorsed winners:
- Ashley Hinson — Iowa U.S. Senate
- Joe Mitchell — Iowa's 2nd Congressional District
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks — Iowa's 1st Congressional District
- Zach Nunn — Iowa's 3rd Congressional District
- Chris McGowan — Iowa's 4th Congressional District
- Mike Rounds — South Dakota U.S. Senate
- Marty Jackley — South Dakota U.S. House
- Greg Cunningham — New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District (advanced unopposed)
- Troy Downing — Montana's 2nd Congressional District
- Aaron Flint — Montana's 1st Congressional District
- Kurt Alme — Montana U.S. Senate

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Trump also highlighted wins for incumbents in New Jersey:
- Jeff Van Drew — New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District
- Tom Kean — New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District (advanced unopposed)
- Chris Smith — New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District
Losers: Not All Endorsements Translate Into Victory
Despite the strong showing, candidates backed by the president did not secure a clean sweep on the night.
Confirmed loss so far:
- Randy Feenstra — Iowa Governor
Feenstra lost Iowa's gubernatorial race in a contest that drew attention as a test of competing Republican factions.
Iowa Emerges as a Key Battleground
Iowa accounted for several of the night’s wins, though many involved established incumbents, making it difficult to separate endorsement effects from structural advantages.
Hinson’s Senate primary victory, alongside wins from Mitchell, Nunn and Miller-Meeks, underscored the president's continued strength with Republican voters in the state.
Mixed Results as Primary Season Continues
Several Trump-endorsed candidates remain outside the current tally. In California, where voters cast ballots Tuesday in top-two primaries, some Trump-backed candidates, including Steve Hilton in the governor's race, were still awaiting final results.
Others, including Brian Mast in Florida’s 21st Congressional District, face primaries later in the cycle.
For now, the results point to a strong—but not unchallenged—performance from Trump-backed candidates.
Full List of Trump Endorsements Posted Monday
- Ashley Hinson — Iowa U.S. Senate
- Marty Jackley — South Dakota U.S. House
- Mike Rounds — South Dakota U.S. Senate
- Greg Cunningham — New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District
- Tom Kean — New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District
- Chris Smith — New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District
- Jeff Van Drew — New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District
- Troy Downing — Montana’s 2nd Congressional District
- Aaron Flint — Montana’s 1st Congressional District
- Kurt Alme — Montana U.S. Senate
- Chris McGowan — Iowa’s 4th Congressional District
- Zach Nunn — Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District
- Joe Mitchell — Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks — Iowa’s 1st Congressional District
- Randy Feenstra — Governor of Iowa
- Jim Desmond — California’s 48th Congressional District
- Jay Obernolte — California’s 23rd Congressional District
- Vince Fong — California’s 20th Congressional District
- Kevin Lincoln — California’s 13th Congressional District
- Tom McClintock — California’s 5th Congressional District
- James Gallagher — California’s 1st Congressional District
- Steve Hilton — Governor of California
- Brian Mast — Florida’s 21st Congressional District
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