President Donald Trump’s nearly perfect endorsement record hit a wall on Tuesday night, as his endorsements lost in the Minnesota gubernatorial primary and failed to win outright in the South Carolina Senate primary.
The 2026 Republican primary cycle has been dominated by Trump’s coveted endorsement, deciding elections across the country, with a success rate rarely seen in national politics. Tuesday showed the limits of this endorsement, however, after his preferred candidates failed to win outright in two nationally visible races.
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Lindell’s campaign for governor was a long shot in the general election — Minnesota last had a Republican governor in 2011 — but in the primary, his pro-Trump credentials, Trump’s endorsement, wealth, and national profile led many to assume he’d readily win. Instead, he was thoroughly trounced by state House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who received 43.4% of the vote compared to Lindell’s 32.5%, with 98% of the vote counted.
Demuth won through her recognition in state politics and by stressing her centrist credentials, arguing that she was the Republican Party’s best chance at ending its losing streak in the state. Lindell received an avalanche of negative coverage throughout his campaign, even managing to alienate his MAGA base after divulging a plan for statewide amnesty in an interview with the Washington Examiner.
Trump fared better in South Carolina, but the special Senate primary runoff was still notable as his endorsement failed to decisively swing the election. Darline Graham Nordone, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, came in first with 32.7% of the vote with over 95% of votes counted, but she did not reach the threshold to prevent a runoff. She’ll be going against Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) in the Aug. 25 runoff election, who won 24.6% of the vote.
Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC) came in third place with just under 20% of the vote.
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Despite the setbacks, Trump came away with a positive read of Tuesday night. On Truth Social, he posted graphics boasting that 14 of his endorsements had won their primaries. He also put a positive spin on Graham Nordone’s results, posting a graphic boasting that she was advancing.
Though Tuesday showed the limits of Trump’s endorsement power, the two races were unique and fell short of indicating any message about Trump’s popularity within the Republican Party. Minnesota is a deep blue state where any Republican wanting a chance at victory must appeal to a more liberal electorate, which includes distancing themselves from Trump. The race to replace Graham in South Carolina was bound to be chaotic due to the suddenness and uncertainty of his death, and Nordone was completely unknown politically before.
