Advisors worry that Trump's second embarrassing loss could raise questions about Trumps endorsement, his most valuable political commodity. Candidates from Ohio and Wyoming are trying to get it before the next year's midterms. Losses could also affect his standing within the Republican Party. Trump's popularity and influence have protected his relevance, even though he is no longer a president.Many in Trump's former orbit are concerned that he has been too prolific in endorsing candidates in contested primaries, possibly reducing their power. Trump, who boasted about his impeccable record in supporting Republican primaries, rarely endorsed candidates in 2020 nomination contests. He also slammed those who advised him to support a losing candidate in North Carolina's primary. Trump is participating in a variety of primaries this time, including the North Carolina Senate and Alabama.Doug Heye, a former top Republican National Committee official, stated that a loss is still a loss.Trump advisors claim they became concerned about Texas prospects around a week ago when they quietly ordered a survey through the ex-presidents leadership political action committee that showed Republican Jake Ellzey leading Wright by 15 points. Trump's team mobilized with two Trump-aligned groups: Citizens United Political Victory Fund and Make America Great Again Action. They purchased last-minute airtime. Others Trump allies relayed to the network that Wright might be in serious trouble.Wright's widow, Wright (the late Rep. Ron Wright) died in February due to complications from Covid-19. Wright's allies resisted the idea. They reassured Wright's former presidents team that Wright was in good shape and pointed to another survey that showed her ahead.Trump's lieutenants warned him not to get involved in a race that pits Republican candidates against each other. (Wright, Ellzey and others finished first and second in an all-party primary held in May. This prevented Democrats from participating in the special election. Ellzey is a 51-year old state legislator from Dallas.Others lamented McIntosh's growing influence, which was opposed to Trump in the 2016 primary, but has since become one his closest friends. McIntosh is a former Indiana congressman who is conservative and was influential in getting Trump to support Ted Budd in the early stages of his multi-way primary.Others disagreed with the Club for Growth's Texas campaign. The Club for Growth concentrated its efforts on Trump's endorsement of Wright. Although Trump's support was a valuable tool in helping Wright win the May 1 special election, the organization failed to make an impact during the all-party race. Instead, it encouraged moderate Republicans and Democrats into supporting Ellzey.Former Texas Governor. Rick Perry, an Ellzey backer and who was energy secretary in Trump's cabinet, attacked Club for Growth Wednesday. He claimed that it had given the former president a bill for goods by encouraging Wright to support it.However, some Republicans believe that Trump is partially responsible for Wright's defeat. Although Trump sent statements reiterating support for Wright and hosted an evening tele-rally, he did not do much to help her build her campaign war fund. This could have been done with his small donor network. Recent finance reports revealed that Ellzey had significantly outraised Wright.This shows that Trump must be fully committed to endorsements. According to Matt Mackowiak (Texas-based Republican strategist), Trump didn't raise any money nor show up in his district. He also blamed Wright for running a flawed campaign.Now, the focus is on Tuesday's special primary for the vacant Columbus, Ohio-area congressional spot. This is going to prove to be complicated. Mike Carey is a Trump-endorsed ex-lobbyist who has now found himself in a severe spending disadvantage due to an unanticipated figure: Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. Paul, long regarded a Trump ally and ally, now backs Ron Hood, a former state legislator. A Paul-aligned super PAC is launching aggressive TV advertising.Trump and his allies have been furious at Paul's decision. Some of them have tried to reach out to senators orbit but to no avail. The pro-Paul Protect Freedom PAC will spend almost $130,000 on the airwaves during the last week of the contest. This is three times the amount spent by Carey's campaign. To boost Jeff LaRe, a former GOP Rep. Steve Stivers has also heavily spent from his old campaign account.Debbie Meadows (the wife of ex-Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows) has previously announced her support for Ruth Edmonds, a Carey rival. Meadows seems to have backed down and is not promoting her endorsement.The former presidents' lieutenants rush to Careys rescue in a situation that is reminiscent of Texas. Make America Great America PAC is the main pro-Trump super PAC and was headed by Corey Lewandowski. They spent $300,000. to support Carey in the last week of the contest. Trump released a statement Tuesday, praising Carey, and criticizing his rivals for claiming they have Trump's endorsement.According to a Republican strategist, the internal polling data shows that Carey is leading Hood. It may not be easy to predict the outcome. The Ohio primary takes place in the dead summer, when turnout is almost certain to be low.Trump's closest associates acknowledge that the stakes for Trump are much higher. The Ohio primary is Republican, unlike the Texas election where both parties could vote. Trump supporters claim that this will be a more rigorous test of Trump's ability to influence the GOP nomination contests. They also argue that Trump's endorsed candidate will succeed because the race is more conservative.Some Republicans believe Tuesday's defeat highlights a trend in Trumps post presidency: His endorsement does not carry the same weight now as it did when he was president. Trump was removed from social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook by his opponent, so he has had to spread his endorsement mostly through email blasts. The candidates and their supporters then have to spread the word about Trump's support.According to someone familiar with the numbers, Wrights' case was unique because even though there had been a lot of money spent to ensure that voters knew about Trump's endorsement, only two-thirds of voters were aware that Wrights had Trump's support at the end of the race.Others argue that the outcome shows why Republican candidates must do more than compete for Trump's endorsement. They argue that while former Presidents can influence Republican primary voters, it is up to the candidates to convince them of other reasons why they are the best choice, especially in a world where many Republicans portray themselves as Trump Republicans.Heye stated that while Trump's endorsement is important, it doesn't automatically decide who will win the primary. Trump-backed candidates lost before and will lose again.
