President Donald Trump's singular focus on exacting revenge against Republicans he deems disloyal is already threatening the party's chances in the upcoming midterm elections. His endorsement of ultra-MAGA candidates in winnable primaries risks handing general election victories to Democrats, as evidenced by several high-profile races.
Texas Senate runoff turns personal
Senator John Cornyn appeared dejected on Wednesday after President Trump endorsed his nemesis, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in the Republican Senate primary runoff. The race has become intensely personal, with Paxton accusing Cornyn of insufficiently supporting the president, while Cornyn highlights Paxton's messy divorce, alleged affairs, and impeachment by the state's Republican-controlled legislature. Cornyn warned that Paxton would be an albatross around the neck of the Texas GOP, a sentiment he reiterated when asked about the situation. 'Absolutely, if he's the nominee, but I don't intend on letting that happen,' Cornyn said. Despite his bravado, Cornyn is the latest victim of Trump's revenge tour, which has made purging the GOP of enemies a top priority since returning to the White House.
Costly consequences for the GOP
Trump's strategy could come at a significant cost. By backing ultra-MAGA candidates in competitive primaries, he risks alienating moderate voters and handing seats to Democrats. The Texas race has already become the most expensive Republican primary in history, with over $10 million spent by Republican leadership to protect Cornyn.
On Tuesday evening, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky lost his primary after bucking Trump and leading efforts to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein. In Georgia, Trump's preferred candidate for governor, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, advanced to a runoff with businessman Rick Jackson, while Brad Raffensperger, who refused to overturn the 2020 election results, placed a distant third with only 15 percent of the vote. Former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, who switched parties, ran in the Democratic primary and also placed third.
Earlier, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who voted to convict Trump in 2021 over the January 6 Capitol riot, lost his primary. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who also voted to convict but survived in 2022 thanks to ranked-choice voting, expressed concern. 'Because Senator Cornyn has been an exceptional senator, and he has been one who has worked with the Trump agenda... the fact the President would choose to endorse not Sen. Cornyn, but a candidate who probably is going to struggle mightily in general is a problem,' she told The Independent.
Democrats eye opportunities
Democrats are already preparing to capitalize. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey plans to campaign for Democratic nominee James Talarico in Texas, joined by Texas Senator Ruben Gallego. Senator Chris Van Hollen is holding a fundraiser for Talarico. Purging Republicans for personal reasons in favor of MAGA-base-only candidates is risky, a point Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina has warned about. 'They're not even in the same league, Paxton and Cornyn, in terms of the quality of the member in the U.S. Senate,' Tillis told The Independent. 'I respect the President for taking his pick. I think he made the wrong pick. It's going to be a lot more expensive to hold that seat.'
Tillis's own fate is a cautionary tale. After opposing Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill,' Trump went nuclear, and Tillis announced he would not seek re-election. But the move backfired: Trump got a yes-man in former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, but Tillis became the administration's sharpest Republican critic, and his retirement opened the door for former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to run. A poll from the conservative Carolina Journal showed Cooper defeating Whatley by 11 points.
Trump's selective focus
So far, Trump has spared Senator Susan Collins of Maine, an endangered incumbent. When Vice President JD Vance visited the state, he offered a mild critique. 'I almost wish she was more partisan,' Vance said. 'But the thing I love about Susan is that she is independent because Maine is an independent state, and frankly if she was as partisan as I sometimes wish she was, she would not be a good fit for the people of Maine.' Trump has occasionally hit Collins, such as when she supported a War Powers Act resolution restraining his military actions in Venezuela, prompting him to say she and her allies 'should never be elected to office again.' However, he likely recognizes that Collins is the only Republican who can hold that seat, even as she faces a controversial candidate like Graham Platner.
Curiously, while Trump aggressively targets his enemies, he has not focused on helping Republicans flip two winnable seats in Michigan and Georgia. He endorsed former Representative Mike Rogers in Michigan, who narrowly lost to Senator Elissa Slotkin in 2024 despite Trump winning the state, but has paid little attention. In Georgia, he stayed out of the primary to defeat incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff, instead focusing on the gubernatorial race. Retiring Governor Brian Kemp backed Derek Dooley, a former University of Tennessee football coach, who will face Representative Mike Collins in a runoff. Trump's lack of engagement mirrors his post-2020 focus on election fraud claims at the expense of holding Georgia's Senate seats, allowing Ossoff and Senator Raphael Warnock to win.
Trump's political superpower has always been his ability to command attention. However, his obsession with perceived slights diverts his focus from helping Republicans maintain their majority, potentially at a massive cost.
