Trump’s Epic Losing Streak Continues With Three More Primary Flops

The New Republic The New Republic

President Trump’s endorsements keep losing.

Two of his picks in Florida’s Republican congressional primaries were https://thehill.com/newsletters/morning-report/6037407-donald-trump-florida-wyoming-primary-candidate-losses/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">defeated Tuesday night: Incumbent Representative Cory Mills, who is facing a multitude of scandals, fell short in the 7th district, and former Commerce Department adviser Catalina Lauf was unable to benefit from a late Trump endorsement in the crowded 19th district.

On top of that, his choice for governor of Wyoming, Megan Degenfelder, lost by nearly 16 percentage points.

These losses make it 10 times in this election cycle that a Trump-backed candidate lost their Republican primary, the same https://x.com/AaronBlake/status/2090033535729955039" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">amount that he lost in 2018, 2020, and 2024 combined.

Trump’s worst year for endorsements was in 2022, and he’s one loss away from matching that.

X screenshot Aaron Blake @AaronBlake 10 Trump-endorsed candidates have now lost this primary season -- including 6 in the last two weeks and 3 on Tuesday alone.</p><p>Those 10 losses are as much as Trump suffered in 2018, 2020 and 2024 combined.</p><p>And it's one shy of matching his worst year, 2022. (screenshot of names who lost)https://images.newrepublic.com/710e8e66a2b66b279b025f6df0c120041e5afabb.png?w=928" width="928" />

Mills is facing a Department of Justice https://newrepublic.com/post/213350/justice-department-investigating-republican-congressman-mills" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investigation over sexual misconduct, campaign finance violations, financial disclosure violations, accepting inappropriate gifts, and multiple ethics violations.

Just days ago, Mills refused to https://newrepublic.com/post/214437/embattled-gop-cory-mills-trouble-primary-election" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">deny reports that he dated a 19-year-old as a sitting member of Congress.

He lost his race to former TV reporter Ryan Elijah by 13 points.

Trump waited until https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117090504981894603" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last week to endorse Lauf, who was running in a https://floridapolitics.com/archives/815127-jim-schwartzel-wins-costly-and-heated-gop-primary-over-catalina-lauf-for-byron-donalds-cd-19-seat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">crowded and expensive https://news.bgov.com/bloomberg-government-news/ex-convicts-and-castoffs-flock-to-florida-for-wild-gop-primary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">primary against former Representatives Chris Collins and Madison Cawthorn, several former congressional candidates, a January 6 rioter, and many transplants to the state.

In the end, one of the few local candidates, conservative radio host Jim Schwartzel, won the race to replace Representative Byron Donalds, who is running for Florida governor.

And Degenfelder, Wyoming’s superintendent of public instruction, lost https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/08/18/us/elections/results-wyoming-governor-primary.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">handily to state Senator Eric Barlow in the deep-red state by more than 20,000 votes, despite running a very conservative campaign.

Barring some kind of crazy news, Barlow will likely be elected governor in November.

All of this suggests that Trump’s unpopularity is becoming too much even among Republicans.

His approval rating has https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-approval-falls-33-lowest-his-presidency-reutersipsos-poll-finds-2026-08-17/?taid=6a839726659d87000122b970" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">fallen to 33 percent, the lowest level of his presidency, according to a new Reuters poll.

But Trump was still unrepentant Wednesday morning, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117122454656898588" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bashing Mills before throwing his weight behind Elijah on Truth Social.

It looks like he won’t change his ways before November.

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