Trump Touts His Endorsements Are ‘Stronger Than Ever’ — and Shrugs Off the Losses

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump touted his political endorsement record as “stronger than ever” while explaining away a string of Republican primary defeats as acts of “loyalty” to candidates who had little chance of winning anyway.

“My Endorsements are stronger than ever — Not to mention the fact that good people are getting elected that never had the chance! Here is an accurate list of the last number of seasons. There has never been anything close! It is an Honor that I take very seriously,” Trump wrote late Sunday on Truth Social.

With the post, the president shared several graphics scoring him a 97% success rate on endorsements of candidates in Senate and gubernatorial contests this year. The figures broadly align with Ballotpedia’s data reckoning, which gives Trump a 96% primary success rate for endorsed candidates.

The president regularly takes victory laps after primary wins with images crediting himself for backing them.

But on Sunday, the president also offered an explanation for the candidates who came up short in their elections, adding: The few that lost were done out of loyalty. It was almost impossible for them to win but, I felt obligated to go with them because they were, in my opinion, good people!”

Trump-backed candidates have suffered 10 primary defeats this year, with six of those losses coming in August alone.

Last week, Megan Degenfelder lost the Wyoming governor’s primary, while Rep. Cory Mills and Catalina Lauf were defeated in Florida House races. They followed losses this month by Minnesota gubernatorial candidate and “MyPillow guy” Mike Lindell, Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, and Michigan congressional candidate Amir Hassan.

Five Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidates have now lost, including five of the 12 races where he backed a challenger rather than an incumbent.

Further tests remain, including Trump-backed Anthony DiLorenzo in New Hampshire on September 8, and appointed Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina’s upcoming special-election primary on Tuesday.

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