President Donald Trump may already be a lame duck, thanks in large part to his unbroken primary endorsement successes. The Atlantic‘s Jonathan Lemire and Michael Scherer argue there are three main reasons Trump’s wins may hasten his “political decline.”
Trump made 118 endorsements for the House, Senate, and governor’s races, and was undefeated in all. Many, however, were for uncontested races.
And while Trump’s picks all won their respective races, at times edging out more reliable vote and campaign cash getters, they could be more expensive to get over the finish line.
Take Trump’s 11th-hour endorsement of scandal-plagued Texas MAGA Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won in the GOP primary runoff over four-term conservative incumbent Senator John Cornyn.
Cornyn was a prolific fundraiser who less than two years ago was in the race to become Senate Majority Leader.
Experts warn that the Republican Party now may have to sink $100 million into Texas for what some believe was a far-safer seat with Cornyn than with Paxton.
Ultimately, Lemire and Scherer say, Trump’s choice of primary candidates benefits Trump, but perhaps not the GOP as much. He’s shooting for loyalty over electability.
Trump’s slate of GOP candidates may be far less palatable to voters in November, especially voters who already put the president’s approval rating at an all-time low, thanks in part to his focus on the Iran war, rebuilding Washington, D.C., rebranding multiple structures — from the Kennedy Center to an airport in Florida, and his lack of focus on the cost of food and gas.
Which means despite Trump’s endorsements, many of his picks could lose at the ballot box, accelerating his inevitable lame duck status.
“He essentially has lame-ducked himself in pursuit of retribution, and either the staff has failed to make a reasonable argument against these actions, or they have told him this and he is no longer listening,” one GOP Senate advisor told Lemire and Scherer.
Then there are the Republicans Trump unseated, namely Cornyn, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Add to the list Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who opted for retirement rather than face re-election. They are now free to deviate from supporting the president’s priorities, and have wasted no time in doing so, at times quite publicly.
Lastly, there are their colleagues, Lemire and Scherer note. Many Republicans, especially in the Senate, are angered that Trump effectively ousted their fellow Republicans. With an already tenuous majority — including moderates Lisa Murkowski of Alaska (who some argue could declare as an independent and caucus with the Democrats), and Susan Collins of Maine, that 53-47 majority isn’t looking especially reliable for Trump.