(UnitedVoice.com) – In politics, a hot hand is vital to future successes. The more a candidate wins, the harder it is to paint a negative picture of them. In the case of former President Donald Trump, he’s the most popular Republican in America. In important battleground states for the GOP, he still enjoys overwhelming popularity among GOP voters, making any endorsement from the 45th president a prize for candidates.
Yet, an endorsement by Trump doesn’t come without risks for the former president as he weighs his political future after the midterm elections. In the end, it’s all about winning, and Trump is more than willing to take a gamble on some candidates the establishment views as questionable at best. In some instances, Trump’s recent endorsements sparked an outcry among some Republicans. Regardless, it seems the former president was willing to undertake take a gamble and throw the dice.
Trump Intent to Put His Stamp on the 2022 Midterm Elections
According to some advisors, Trump intends to ensure his dominant role in the GOP. On April 7, the former president told the Washington Post he likes promoting candidates and referred to himself as the king of endorsements. According to an April 11 Morning Consult Poll, nearly 4 in 5 GOP voters in Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania gave Trump big nods of approval. Each battleground state has open or contested races that could shape the House and Senate for the next two years of Joe Biden’s presidency, and Trump intends to make sure his pick wins in each state.
In these states, a Trump-backed candidate could significantly benefit from the support of the former Commander in Chief. Trump’s popularity has remained virtually unchanged in the four states since the 2020 election. Even the president’s critics acknowledge his endorsement is the most powerful and influential in the GOP.
Trump’s Endorsement Isn’t Necessarily a Slam Dunk
Trump recently endorsed Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania to replace retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA). It elicited both shock and surprise and threw Trump into the middle of a messy and brutal primary fight with uber-wealthy businessman David McCormick. A recent poll in Pennsylvania showed the primary was razor tight, with Oz getting 16% of the primary vote, McCormick with 15%, and 43% were undecided.
The Pennsylvania Senate race isn’t the only intervention by Trump. He recently endorsed controversial figure JD Vance, who’s running for the open Senate seat in Ohio and is behind in the polls. Trump also supported gubernatorial candidate and former US Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) against incumbent Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue trails Kemp by a large margin.
Trump is also mindful of the risks he’s taking. In March, he pulled his endorsement from Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) for the US Senate in Alabama. The former president said he yanked his approval because Brooks no longer supported Trump’s election fraud charges in the 2020 presidential election, and Brooks was running far behind in the polls. So, an endorsement today may not mean one tomorrow if a candidate falls out of favor with Trump or appears one can’t win the primary.
Here are the risks Trump faces: If these races don’t turn out well for the 45th president, it could hurt his image as a kingmaker in the Republican Party. If Purdue or Dr. Oz lose their primary fights, it could weaken Trump heading into the 2024 presidential election if he chooses to run. So, Trump’s endorsement of Oz may not play into voters’ decisions as they prepare to head to the polls on May 17.
In politics, an endorsement feels like it’s everything. Yet, voters may love Trump and vote against his endorsed candidate. It may not reflect the former president because every election is unique. That won’t be the national storyline, but it could be the political reality if Trump decides to run in 2024. The GOP base isn’t bailing on him now, and they are unlikely to in 2024.
Stay tuned. These endorsements could become an interesting story over the next few months.
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