Trump-endorsed candidates see mixed results in Florida, Wyoming primaries
In Tuesday's primaries, Republican candidates backed by President Donald Trump won some races in Florida and Wyoming but lost others, while a Democratic socialist upset a well-funded opponent in Florida's Senate primary.
Tuesday’s primary elections across Florida, Wyoming, Alaska and California produced a mixed picture for candidates endorsed by President Donald Trump. In Florida, Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds secured the Republican nomination for governor with 47% of the vote, defeating Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and James Fishback. Trump-endorsed Sen. Ashley Moody also won a special primary to retain the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio, and Rep. Randy Fine was re-elected in the 6th Congressional District.
However, other Trump-backed candidates fell short. Incumbent Rep. Cory Mills, who had received Trump’s endorsement in February, lost the 7th District race to challenger Ryan Elijah amid an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation. In the 19th District, Trump-endorsed Catalina Lauf was defeated by media executive Jim Schwartzel, who is expected to win the general election in the heavily Republican district.
In Wyoming, Rep. Harriet Hageman, the state’s at-large congresswoman and Trump’s choice, won the U.S. Senate primary with a decisive margin over rancher Sam Mead. By contrast, Republican voters rejected Trump’s gubernatorial pick, state Sen. Eric Barlow, who defeated the superintendent of public instruction, Megan Degenfelder, for the governor’s nomination.
Other notable outcomes included a surprise victory for Democratic Socialist of America member Rep. Angie Nixon, who defeated heavily outspent former Air Force officer Alexander Vindman in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary, despite a nine-to-one funding gap. In Alaska’s nonpartisan primary, incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan placed second and will advance to the general election, while Democrat Mary Peltola led the field.
The results are being watched as indicators of Trump’s influence within the GOP and the broader dynamics of upcoming general elections.