In recent primary elections, candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump experienced rare losses in Utah, South Carolina, and Colorado. These defeats suggest a shift in some Republican voters away from Trump’s influence in primaries. Typically, an endorsement from Trump leads to success for congressional candidates, but this trend did not hold true in the 2024 election cycle.
In Utah, Rep. John Curtis, who has criticized Trump in the past, emerged victorious over Trump’s chosen candidate Trent Staggs in the race for Mitt Romney’s open Senate seat. Similarly, in South Carolina, pastor Mark Burns, endorsed by Trump on Truth Social, lost the House runoff race to Republican Sherri Biggs. In Colorado, state GOP Chair Dave Williams, endorsed by Trump in March, lost to conservative commentator Jeff Crank in the House race.
These three losses mark only the second, third, and fourth instances of a Trump-endorsed candidate losing in the 2024 election cycle. The first loss occurred in June when New Jersey Senate candidate Christine Serrano Glassner, endorsed by Trump, lost to Curtis Bashaw. Additionally, races in Utah’s second congressional district and Virginia’s Republican primary are still too close to call, with Trump-backed candidates leading by slim margins.
Overall, these losses suggest that Trump’s endorsements may not hold as much sway as they once did in Republican primaries. The outcomes of these races indicate a potential shift in the dynamics of the party and the influence of certain endorsements.