Instead of advising their successors, ousted Republican candidates across the nation are remaining silent, or worse, taking a public stance against leaders in their own party, at least according to a new report from Politico. It seems to be the retaliatory effects of those rejected by President Donald Trump or members of his administration.
Outgoing Senator John Cornyn has supported other Republican candidates in fundraising efforts, except Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who defeated him in the primary with Trump’s backing. North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, a vocal Trump critic, played a limited role in the rise of former RNC Chair Michael Whatley, Trump’s hand-picked Senate candidate.
Rep. Mark Amodei has repeatedly criticized David Flippo, the GOP nominee seeking to succeed him, and has now openly rejected voting for him. “The bedwetting from outgoing moderate Republicans will define their legacy and only help socialists get elected,” said David McIntosh, president of the Trump-aligned Club for Growth, which has endorsed Flippo and Paxton. “People like John Cornyn and Mark Amodei need to get on board and support Republican nominees and stop posturing for an MSNOW contract.”
Those speaking out against Trump and the GOP are doing so at a crucial time when much of the country is already in opposition to Trump; even former supporters in red states are growing frustrated with the state of the economy and increasingly concerned about when, if ever, things will stabilize. “What [Trump’s] done is created a coalition that, in my opinion, will not stay with Republicans once we go back to traditional Republican platform priorities,” Tillis said in a recent interview with POLITICO. “A lot of the elements of the populism that Trump created to expand a base that made him successful running for president, I don’t think that stays with the party long-term.”
Many former ousted Republicans are turning on one another as questions about who to blame linger. Tillis, who publicly endorsed former RNC Chair Michael Whatley to succeed him in the 2026 U.S. Senate election, never followed through on offers to help Whatley by contacting donors, said one person anonymously in their chat with the outlet.
“He was never part of our strategy because ... if he could have been helpful to us, then he could have run,” the source said, referring to Tillis’ decision not to seek reelection. “The Tillis of the past year ain’t the same guy who worked overtime to help elect Republican majorities here in NC back in 2010.”
Some argue that Trump’s endorsements are backfiring. Candidates like Flippo, who has faced scrutiny over multiple scandals, including financial controversies, are giving those who have turned against Trump even more ammunition to criticize his picks.
Amodei said in an interview that whoever advised Trump on such an endorsement was not the best suggestion. “The only criteria shouldn’t be, ‘Well, they’re the Republican,’” he said after selecting a third-party candidate. “I mean, politics is a team sport. But when a member of the team turns out to be this way, clearly this is not a bright and shining moment for the vetting process.”
