President Donald Trump's grasp on the Republican voter base remains strong, with recent Aug. 25 Oklahoma and South Carolina primary wins by his endorsed candidates adding to his almost-perfect endorsement record this midterm season.
"I supported and ENDORSED two so-called 'underdogs' yesterday, one from South Carolina, and the other from Oklahoma, and they BOTH WON," Trump posted on Truth Social on Aug. 26, celebrating wins by Sen. Darline Graham in the Senate primary runoff – to fill the Republican spot in the general election that her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, won before his July death – and former Oklahoma state Sen. Mike Mazzei in the Republican primary for governor.
One of Trump's favorite topics to boast about is his record
of winning, and this midterm season is no exception. Recently, he has posted on Truth Social on primary days and evenings with long blurbs on the MAGA allies he endorsed, followed by a celebratory graphic – including cutout photos of Trump and the candidate with "WINS!" and "ENDORSED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP!" – post once the race had been called.
On Aug. 25, Trump posted on Truth Social his endorsement winning records from 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024 Republican primaries and so far in 2026 for races for the Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and governors races. Trump said he had a 97% success rate in 2018 with 35 wins out of 36 races, a 98% rate in 2020 with 117 wins out of 120 endorsements, a 96% endorsement win with 179 wins out of 187 endorsements in 2022, and 98% in 2024 with 175 wins out of 178 races.
According to a White House official, Trump's total 2026 wins sit at 256 endorsed candidates out of 264 races. That number was slightly higher at 261 wins of 270 endorsed candidates in congressional and governor races, according to a USA TODAY review of Ballotpedia data. The White House did not provide their list of endorsements used in their calculations when asked by USA TODAY.
Trump's successful endorsement rate as of Aug. 26 sits at 96.7% for congressional and gubernatorial candidates, and only dips slightly to 95.7% when adding in state executive and official endorsements, according to the USA TODAY data review. The Ballotpedia data includes 285 endorsements total in the Senate, House and governors races – 270 of which have occurred so far – and the discrepancy from the White House numbers could be explained by Ballotpedia including races that have yet to happen, candidates who will only be in the general election, and early endorsements for candidates who did not run, like Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullins, whom Trump endorsed for reelection to the Senate from Oklahoma before Mullins joined the administration.
"President Trump’s endorsement is the most powerful endorsement in the history of American politics," Allison Schuster, a spokesperson for the White House, told USA TODAY. "Anyone claiming otherwise is a complete and utter fool. The President’s record speaks for itself: out of more than 260 endorsements, the President has a 97% success rate."
Trump's endorsements for congressional candidates were strongest
Trump's Capitol Hill endorsement success for candidates in both chambers of Congress is near-perfect, at about 98%. In elections for the U.S. Senate, the president's 24 endorsed candidates with primaries so far are all headed to the general election, with one more primary Senate endorsement to be tested in New Hampshire on Sept. 8.
In the House of Representatives, Trump sustained only four losses, compared to his 218 wins so far. Those losses came from Michigan, Tennessee and two in Florida.
In the races for statewide offices outside of Washington, D.C., Trump's endorsement win rate is a bit lower, sitting at an 87% success rate across races for governors, state executives – attorney generals, lieutenant governors, commissioners and others – and statehouse senators and representatives.
His success in gubernatorial endorsements is the lowest, sitting at 79%. Trump had five losses, compared to his 19 wins, when Republican voters in Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, South Carolina and Wyoming sent other candidates to the general election over his favored picks.
Here is a list of Trump's few losses in Republican primaries for the House of Representatives and governors:
- Incumbent Rep. Cory Mills lost his reelection bid to represent Florida’s 7th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles lost his bid to continue to represent Tennessee’s 5th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Michigan’s Amir Hassan handed Trump his first congressional loss on Aug. 4 with his primary defeat in the Republican primary for Michigan’s 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Former Trump administration adviser to the Department of Commerce Catalina Lauf lost her attempt to represent the Florida’s 19th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Former MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell lost his bid for Michigan governor, and he refused to concede the race.
- Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones lost his primary run for Georgia governor.
- U.S. Rep Randy Feenstra from Iowa lost his bid to be the state’s next governor.
- South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette lost her state’s Republican primary runoff to be South Carolina governor.
- Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder lost in the Wyoming Republican primary for governor.
2026 primary season isn't over just yet
There are a few primaries left, and they will determine whether Trump can keep his overall primary endorsement record above 95%. Then comes November's general elections, where his endorsements will stack up against Democratic nominees and other candidates for all voters – not just Republican voters in primaries. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware are set to host primaries in September.
Trump has endorsed two Republican New Hampshire congressional candidates, who have a primary in the coming week: former U.S. Sen. John Sununu for Senate and Anthony DiLorenzo for the state's 1st Congressional District. Sununu leads his Republican opponent, according to an Aug. 20 St. Anselm College poll, but he was projected to lose in the general election to the leading Democrat, U.S. Rep Chris Pappas. DiLorenzo was also the favored-Republican candidate in that poll for his the House seat.
In North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, Trump initially endorsed Rep. Chuck Edwards, who won his primary, but Edwards has since withdrawn from the race after a damaging ethics report was released about him by a congressional committee in August. The local Republican Party replaced him on the ballot with Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, who Trump subsequently endorsed.
In Louisiana, he endorsed four House candidates who have a primary on Nov. 3 – the same day the rest of the country has a general election – and their general election will be in December.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's endorsed candidates almost all won 2026 Republican primaries
