Political commentators and media outlets spent months arguing President Donald Trump no longer commands Republican primaries the way he once did. Recent elections across the country suggest otherwise.
Trump-endorsed candidates secured major victories in several high-profile Republican primaries this month, including races tied to congressional redistricting fights in Indiana and the defeat of Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie, one of Trump’s sharpest Republican critics in Congress.
In Indiana, several Republican state senators who opposed Trump-backed redistricting efforts lost to challengers aligned with the president and supported by conservative grassroots organizations. Five challengers defeated incumbent Republicans after conservative voters rallied behind candidates tied to the America First movement. TIME described the races as a warning to Republicans who publicly broke with Trump on major party priorities.
WFYI also reported that Trump-aligned challengers successfully unseated lawmakers who resisted Republican redistricting efforts.
The victories undercut recent claims that Trump’s influence in Republican primaries was fading.
The trend continued in Kentucky, where Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein defeated Congressman Thomas Massie after Trump repeatedly targeted Massie for opposing parts of the president’s agenda. The Guardian framed the race as another test of Trump’s standing with Republican voters. Republican primary voters ultimately sided with the candidate carrying Trump’s endorsement, reinforcing the president’s continued influence with the GOP base.
Those results could have important implications for Arizona Republicans heading into 2026.
Congressman Andy Biggs built his political identity around immigration enforcement, election integrity, and the America First movement long before those issues dominated Republican politics nationally. Trump later endorsed Biggs in Arizona’s governor’s race, strengthening his standing with conservative grassroots voters across the state.
The recent primaries in Indiana and Kentucky suggest Republican voters continue to reward ideological alignment and grassroots enthusiasm over establishment support. If those trends hold, Trump’s endorsement could give Biggs a significant advantage as Arizona’s gubernatorial primary intensifies.
