The pro-Trump super PAC Great America Alliance on Wednesday released its first slate of Senate endorsements for the 2018 election season, endorsing three conservative challengers who are attempting to flip blue seats next year.
In an afternoon press release, Great America said they would support the candidacies of Matt Rosendale of Montana, Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia, and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. All three are conservatives running on explicitly pro-Trump platforms, although their policy emphases vary. Blackburn, a current U.S. representative, is most notable as a take-no-prisoners social conservative, while state attorney general Morrisey and state auditor Rosendale are more fiscal-responsibility, small-government types.
“Establishment forces on both sides of the aisle in Washington have either been unwilling or unable to effectively advance President Trump’s agenda, which is totally unacceptable,” Great America co-chair Eric Beach said in a statement. “The best way to advance the ‘America First’ movement is to hold elected leaders accountable – get on board and get the job done or be replaced by someone who will. Our ‘Great America’ slate, which will expand in the coming weeks, is entirely about delivering results.”
As President Trump repeatedly clashed with congressional Republicans this summer, Great America positioned itself as an opponent to GOP leadership, helping to unseat Alabama incumbent Luther Strange in a special primary last month and portraying Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as “the swamp.” So far, they have not taken the plunge of endorsing challengers to any other sitting Republicans: Morrisey, Rosendale, and Blackburn will all challenge Democrat incumbents. But with Beach promising to combat establishment forces among the Democrats and GOP alike, it seems it’s only a matter of time.
