President Donald Trump suffered a series of major electoral defeats during Tuesday’s Republican primaries, as voters in Florida and Wyoming rejected multiple candidates backed by the president. According to a CNN analysis using Ballotpedia data, nearly 300,000 people turned out to vote in Republican primaries across Wyoming and two congressional districts in Florida, but only 28% cast ballots for Trump-endorsed contenders. The outcomes highlighted what analysts describe as growing limits to the president’s political influence amid sagging approval numbers and signs of voters shrugging off his endorsements.
Trump-Backed Candidates Face Major Rejections in Florida and Wyoming Primaries
Republican primary voters have now rejected 10 Trump-endorsed candidates for statewide office or Congress during the current primary season. That figure matches the combined total of losses from the 2018, 2020, and 2024 primary cycles, and approaches the record of 12 losses recorded during the 2022 primary season, according to CNN.
Defeats Pile Up Across Florida Congressional Races
In Florida’s Seventh Congressional District, scandal-scarred Representative Cory Mills suffered a double-digit defeat to former news anchor Ryan Elijah, according to New York Magazine. Mills had faced calls to resign or be expelled from Congress after an ex-girlfriend was granted a restraining order against him for harassment last fall, though he was never arrested or charged with a crime. While Trump initially stuck by Mills, he ultimately omitted him from a round of Truth Social posts boosting endorsed candidates before the primary.
Following the defeat, Trump claimed on social media that he had privately warned Mills to exit the race. I told Congressman Cory Mills of Florida, a friend of mine, to get out of the Race, but he wouldn’t listen. He thought he could win, so who can blame him? We now have a great candidate, Ryan Elijah, running in his place!
Trump wrote on Truth Social, as reported by CNN.
Trump experienced another setback in Florida’s 19th Congressional District, where his late endorsement of former Commerce Department appointee Catalina Lauf failed to prevent a loss to Jim Schwartzel, according to New York Magazine. Lauf captured just 22% of the vote, marking one of the lowest vote shares for a Trump-backed candidate to date, according to CNN.
There was some positive news for the president in the state, however. Representative Byron Donalds, who chose not to seek reelection to mount a gubernatorial bid, easily cruised to clinch the Republican gubernatorial nomination with Trump’s backing, according to The Hill.
Wyoming Gubernatorial Race Sees Trump Pick Fall Short
In Wyoming, the president’s choice for governor also suffered a decisive defeat. State Senator Eric Barlow secured the Republican nomination in a multi-candidate field by a double-digit margin, easily defeating Trump-endorsed Megan Degenfelder and 2022 gubernatorial candidate Brent Bien, according to The Hill.
Degenfelder captured under 30% of the vote, representing one of the lowest vote totals for a presidential endorsement this cycle, according to CNN. Barlow, who campaigned on respectful, effective leadership,
is the heavy favorite to succeed term-limited Governor Mark Gordon in November, according to The Hill.
