Capping off a bad day for the White House, President Trump had his first unsuccessful primary endorsement of 2018 when Wyoming state Treasurer Mark Gordon beat his preferred candidate businessman Foster Freiss in the GOP race for governor Tuesday night.
With more than 90 percent of precincts reporting, Gordon received 32 percent of the vote to Friess’ 26 percent. Three other candidates lagged behind.
It was a late endorsement, but unambiguous. “To the incredible people of the Great State of Wyoming: Go VOTE TODAY for Foster Friess,” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning. “He will be a fantastic Governor! Strong on Crime, Borders & 2nd Amendment. Loves our Military & our Vets. He has my complete and total Endorsement!”
This came the same day as former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was convicted on eight counts, the first convictions in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to a variety of financial crimes and appeared to implicate the president in a campaign finance violation.
Trump has had setbacks in Republican primaries before, such as when he could not deliver for former Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-N.C., or former Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala. But his recent track record has been good, with winning picks in Georgia, Kansas, Ohio, and South Carolina, among other places. He also helped prevent the controversial Don Blankenship from winning a senatorial primary in West Virginia.
The president’s tweets have effectively chased Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., and Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., out of Congress.
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., an early Trump supporter in Congress, was also indicted on Tuesday.
Trump appeared in West Virginia Tuesday night to boost the candidacy of Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
