Several Trump-Endorsed Candidates Score Big Primary Wins, One Suffers a Close Loss
President Donald Trump’s strong run of primary endorsement victories continued on Tuesday night in Georgia, Alabama, and Oklahoma, with only one high-profile loss.
Fox News reported billionaire Rick Jackson defeated Trump-endorsed Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, but did it by running a very Trumpian campaign in the gubernatorial race.
“I just thought, you know, if you had somebody doing business solutions for the state of Georgia, just like Trump is for the United States, I just felt like I would have a major impact on the state of Georgia, and so that was one of the reasons I wanted to get in. I was inspired by President Trump,” Jackson told Fox News.
The billionaire spent over $100 million of his own money to edge out Jones by a 52.6 percent to 47.4 percent margin.
The president congratulated Jackson after his win, posting on Truth Social, “Rick Jackson ran a great TRUMP Campaign. Very smart! Was with me on Saturday Night making a pitch. Amazing!!! He won against a great guy, Burt Jones, who has a fantastic future!!!”
In two other high-profile races on Tuesday night, the candidates endorsed by Trump won.
Georgia Rep. Mike Collins defeated former college football coach Derek Dooley, who was endorsed by Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, in the U.S. Senate primary.
The president posted on Truth Social that he planned to be “doing Big TRUMP Rallies for Mike in Georgia!” in his bid to defeat one-term Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Republican candidates backed by President Trump won three primary contests for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, Alabama, and Oklahoma. His endorsement in the Georgia governor’s race, however, did not pay off, as health-industry billionaire Rick Jackson, who spent $100 million of his… pic.twitter.com/CwBDMhcMRP
— CBN News (@CBNNews) June 17, 2026
In neighboring Alabama, “Rep. Barry Moore, a House Freedom Caucus member and longtime Trump supporter who was endorsed by the president, comfortably defeated rival Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL sniper who was supported by some top names on the right, in solidly red Alabama’s GOP Senate runoff,” Fox News reported.
Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, Trump-backed state Sen. Mike Mazzei secured a runoff slot in the crowded race for governor, finishing essentially tied with Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei spoke to voters after advancing to the runoff election in the Republican gubernatorial race. pic.twitter.com/hEVDN5yY3V
— KOKH FOX 25 (@OKCFOX) June 17, 2026
In heavily Democratic Washington, D.C., socialist councilwoman Janeese Lewis George enjoys a comfortable lead in the mayoral Democratic primary over more moderate former City Council Member Kenyan McDuffie, though ballots are still being counted and the race has not been called, NBC News reported.
Axios noted that a victory in D.C.’s Democratic mayoral primary is tantamount to winning the general election, given the city’s liberal electorate.
When asked last week how he would feel if Lewis George won, Trump responded, “I wouldn’t like it — and maybe we take back Washington, run it on the federal basis. We won’t put up with it. We’re not going to lose our businesses.”
Q: There’s a crazy socialist running for mayor of Washington, D.C. What if she wins?@POTUS: “I wouldn’t like it — and maybe we take back Washington, run it on the federal basis. We won’t put up with it. We’re not going to lose our businesses.” pic.twitter.com/XDG1977D2W
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 11, 2026
Ballotpedia reported that Trump’s success rate in the 2026 midterm primaries is 98 percent: 302 primary wins out of 306 endorsements.
Similarly, in 2024, he had a 96 percent rate in the primaries, with 89 percent of his picks going on to win the general election.
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