Pro-Trump Candidates Sweep GOP Primaries
A slate of pro-President Donald Trump candidates won in Tuesday’s Republican primaries in multiple states.
The most high-profile win was in South Carolina, where state Rep. Katie Arrington defeated incumbent Rep. Mark Sanford to become the GOP nominee in the Palmetto State’s 1st congressional district, taking 50.6 percent of the vote to Sanford’s 46.5 percent.
In her victory speech, Arrington proclaimed, “We are the party of President Donald J. Trump.”
Trump endorsed the state legislator via Twitter hours before the polls closed in South Carolina, which Arrington acknowledged with a “thank you” and a pledge to work to “Make America Great Again!”
.@realDonaldTrump – thank you, Mr. President! Together we will continue to Make America Great Again! https://t.co/LSBnFPYQ7G
— Katie Arrington (@karringtonsc) June 12, 2018
“Mark Sanford has been very unhelpful to me in my campaign to MAGA. He is MIA and nothing but trouble. He is better off in Argentina,” Trump said in his tweet endorsing Arrington. “I fully endorse Katie Arrington for Congress in SC, a state I love. She is tough on crime and will continue our fight to lower taxes. VOTE Katie!”
It's time. It's time for a new Republican voice in Congress. It's time for a conservative who will work with .@realDonaldTrump, not against him. It's time to #DrainTheSwamp. It's time for leader who will get real results for the Lowcountry. It's time; I won't let you down! #SC1 pic.twitter.com/CCZMxorEcK
— Katie Arrington (@karringtonsc) June 7, 2018
He talked more about the race on Wednesday, tweeting, “My political representatives didn’t want me to get involved in the Mark Sanford primary thinking that Sanford would easily win — but with a few hours left I felt that Katie was such a good candidate, and Sanford was so bad, I had to give it a shot. Congrats to Katie Arrington!”
Arrington ran against Sanford by labeling him a “Never Trumper.”
An analysis of congressional voting records done by the site FiveThirtyEight found only four members of the House Republican conference voted less frequently with Trump than Sanford did, CNN reported.
He voted with the president 73 percent of time versus the over 90 percent tally by most Republican members of Congress.
Also in South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster came out on top in the Republican primary by nearly 15 points (garnering 42 percent of the vote) to serve out the remainder Nikki Haley’s full term. Haley stepped down last year to serve as U.N. ambassador.
The race will go to a runoff since none of the five candidates crossed the 50 percent threshold. While serving as lieutenant governor in 2016, McMaster was the first statewide official to endorse Trump, Breitbart reported.
The president endorsed McMaster on Saturday, saying he was doing “a fantastic job.”
Henry McMaster loves the people of South Carolina and was with me from the beginning. He is strong on Crime and Borders, great for our Military and our Vets. He is doing a fantastic job as your Governor, and has my full endorsement, a special guy. Vote on Tuesday!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018
In Nevada, pro-Trump candidates Adam Laxalt and Danny Tarkanian easily won their Republican primaries for governor and the 3rd Congressional District, respectively.
Trump endorsed Laxalt on Tuesday, tweeting, “I strongly endorse Adam Laxalt for Governor of Nevada. Adam is smart, works hard, and knows how to win. He will be a great Governor. Also, will fight hard to lower your taxes and is tough on crime!”
On Wednesday, the president celebrated Corey Stewart’s win in the Virginia Republican primary for U.S. Senate.
“Congratulations to Corey Stewart for his great victory for Senator from Virginia,” Trump tweeted. “Now he runs against a total stiff, Tim Kaine, who is weak on crime and borders, and wants to raise your taxes through the roof. Don’t underestimate Corey, a major chance of winning!”
Stewart, currently serving as chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, narrowly edged out state Rep. Nick Freitas, 44.9 to 43.1 percent.
Congratulations to Corey Stewart for his great victory for Senator from Virginia. Now he runs against a total stiff, Tim Kaine, who is weak on crime and borders, and wants to raise your taxes through the roof. Don’t underestimate Corey, a major chance of winning!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2018
Stewart served as the Virginia director of Trump’s presidential campaign during part of 2016.
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