Most of the candidates that former President Donald J. Trump backed the contested Republican primary, winning in this early phase of the 2022 by-elections. Many of those he backed ran without resistance or faced little-known, poorly funded opponents.
However, there were some remarkable losses.
Here’s a look at Mr. Trump’s record of approval in some of the most closely watched races.
Doug Mastriano, who was backed by Mr Trump just days before the May 17 primary, won the Republican nomination for governor of Pennsylvania. Credit … Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images
A victory in Pennsylvania and a key race was too close to be called
Doug Mastriano, a U.S. senator and retired Army colonel who has propagated countless false allegations about the 2020 election and attended a protest leading to the Capitol riot, won the Republican nomination for governor of Pennsylvania. Mr Trump approved it just days before the May 17 primary.
In the critical election of the Republican Senate in the state, it is still unknown how Mr. Trump’s approval of Dr. Mehmet Oz will develop. The race between Dr. Oz and Dave McCormick was extremely tough and is likely an official recount. Cathy Barnett, who had a late jump in the race, was in a strong third place.
Representative Ted Bud won the Republican nomination for the North Carolina Senate. Credit … Alison Lee Isley / The Winston-Salem Journal, through the Associated Press
Two wins and a loss in North Carolina
Representative Ted Bud, backed by Mr Trump and the influential Growth Club anti-tax group, won the Republican Senate nomination, and Bo Hines, a 26-year-old political novice who charmed Mr Trump, was ejected to victory by his Republicans. primary election for a seat in the House outside Raleigh.
But Representative Madison Kothorn collapsed under the weight of recurring scandals and blunders. He was ousted in his primary election on May 17, an angry rejection of a Trump-approved candidate. Voters elected Chuck Edwards, a U.S. senator, in the crowded primary.
JD Vance won his rival primary Republicans for a seat in the Ohio Senate with the approval of Mr. Trump. Credit … Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times
Win in Ohio
Senate nominee JD Vance won his tough primary election over a field of well-funded candidates, almost all of whom introduced themselves as Trump-like Republicans. Mr. Vance, author and venture capitalist, is transforming from a self-determined “Trump never man” in 2016 to a candidate for “America first” in 2022. His long-term campaign benefits financially from the heavy costs of his ex boss Peter Thiel, billionaire, founder of PayPal.
Max Miller, a former Trump aide who denied allegations of assault by an ex-girlfriend and was later approved by Mr Trump, won his primary in his House after two other Republicans chose not to run. Representative Anthony Gonzalez, who voted to impeach Mr Trump, resigned after just two terms. Trump-backed spokesman Bob Gibbs has dropped out after his area was redrawn at the end of the campaign, pitting him against Mr Miller.
Mr Trump also backed Madison Gezio Gilbert, a lawyer and former beauty queen who was a surrogate for his presidential campaign. She won a seven-party primary for an open seat in Congress, vacated by Tim Ryan, a Democrat running for the Senate.
West Virginia’s Alex Mooney, right, with California’s Kevin McCarthy, a minority leader in the House of Representatives. Mr Mooney won in his primary election over MP David McKinley. Credit … Stephanie Reynolds for The New York Times
Victory in West Virginia
In a primary in the House of Representatives, Alex Mooney won over David McKinley in the newly elected congressional district, which largely overlaps with that of Mr McKinley for more than a decade.
Mr Trump’s approval is seen as a decisive factor in the race in which Mr Mooney attacked Mr McKinley for supporting President Biden’s infrastructure spending program and for voting to set up a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol by supporters of Mr. Trump.
Charles W. Herbster, a longtime financial supporter of Mr. Trump, lost the Republican election for governor of Nebraska despite Mr. Trump’s approval. Credit … Walker Pickering for The New York Times
Loss in Nebraska
Charles W. Herbster, a wealthy agribusiness chief executive, lost his tripartite primary election to Jim Pilen, a regent at the University of Nebraska who was backed by Governor Pete Ricketts, who has long clashed with Trump and has a limited term.
Mr Herbster had linked his identity to Mr Trump’s by presenting himself as a brazen political outsider taking over the swamp of Lincoln, the state capital. Mr Trump backed Mr Herbster, a longtime financial backer, last year. At the end of the campaign, Mr Herbster was accused of touching several women. Mr Herbster denied the allegations, saying they were organized by his political rivals. Then Mr. Trump held a rally for him.
Lt. Gov. Janice McGitchin of Idaho has lost her main challenge to Gov. Brad Little. Credit … Grant Hindsley for The New York Times
And another loss in Idaho
Idaho Gov. Brad Little overcame Mr Trump’s endorsement of Vice President Janice McGitchin, who challenged him in the Republican primary.
Ms. McGitchin, who made headlines for opposing Mr Little’s pandemic orders, tried to win over the ultra-conservatives in the dark red state that Mr Trump wore predominantly in 2016 and 2020. But it seems that she garnered less than 30 percent of the vote in Idaho, where separate primary elections for governor and lieutenant-governor are being held – the genesis of the strained pairing.
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