WASHINGTON—White House officials are defending President Donald Trump’s influence over Republican primaries while acknowledging that several high-profile contests have exposed limits to his ability to shape the party ahead of November’s congressional elections.
Trump-backed candidates have suffered a series of setbacks in Republican primaries this year, including the defeat of his preferred candidate Mike Lindell in Minnesota’s Aug. 11 gubernatorial contest. Minnesota state House Speaker Lisa Demuth won the Republican nomination, according to election results, despite Trump’s endorsement of Lindell.
The Minnesota result followed other losses involving candidates supported by Trump and his political operation, adding pressure on the White House as Republicans prepare for the November midterms. Trump has nevertheless continued to use endorsements and primary challenges as tools to influence Republican lawmakers and candidates.
James Blair, a senior Trump adviser involved in the president’s political strategy, said in a May CNN interview that the administration expected Trump to maintain a strong record in the remaining primaries where he had endorsed candidates. “The President does allow for disagreement in the party,” Blair said, while adding that there were issues on which Trump would not accept dissent.
Trump’s campaign operation has targeted Republican incumbents who have opposed key administration priorities. In May, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump believed Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio should face primary challenges after opposing his tax and spending legislation.
Some of those efforts have produced victories for Trump-aligned candidates. In Indiana, five of seven Republican state senators targeted by Trump-backed primary challengers after opposing his redistricting push lost their contests, according to reporting on the May primaries.
But the results have not been uniformly favorable. Trump’s loss in Minnesota, following other setbacks, has raised questions about whether his endorsement remains as decisive in statewide contests as it has been in Republican congressional primaries.
The White House has not indicated any change in its broader strategy of supporting favored candidates and challenging Republicans who oppose Trump on major priorities. With primary contests continuing and the November elections approaching, Trump’s political operation remains focused on assembling Republican nominees aligned with his agenda.
