President Trump’s carefully cultivated aura of political invincibility took another hit Tuesday when his handpicked Georgia gubernatorial candidate crashed in the Republican primary—marking a stark reminder that his endorsements no longer guarantee a victory, Politico is reporting. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Trump’s chosen candidate for Georgia’s open governor’s seat, failed to advance. While the GOP primary winner, businessman Rick Jackson, is also a Trump supporter, Jones’s defeat signals deepening cracks in Trump’s political machinery. The loss follows Trump’s humiliating endorsement failure in Iowa just two weeks earlier, when Rep. Randy Feenstra (R) lost his gubernatorial bid despite Trump’s last-minute backing. Politico described Tuesday’s Georgia result as “the latest embarrassing and high-profile blemish in what had been a near-perfect record this year for the president.” Georgia Republicans are alarmed despite Jackson’s Trump alignment. The underlying message is clear: Trump’s endorsement no longer carries the weight it once did. According to former Cobb County Republican chair Jason Shepherd, “The Trump endorsement has an effect, but it’s not overwhelming. It’s not the end-all-be-all for politics in Georgia.” Even Trump supporters acknowledge the endorsement’s limitations. One Jones backer told Politico: “[Trump] absolutely moved the needle. He just moved the needle 15 points when we needed him to move the needle 25 points.” Jones supporters view his loss as “a warning in other GOP primaries,” and the warning signs are multiplying across the country, according to Politico.
In South Carolina’s gubernatorial runoff next week, Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette is “struggling” to maintain her lead as other Republicans rally behind her opponent. In Louisiana, GOP Rep. Julia Letlow knocked off Sen. Bill Cassidy—a critic of the president—but still faces state Treasurer John Fleming, another MAGA ally, in a Senate runoff later this month. In Oklahoma, Trump’s candidates may need additional presidential assistance to win their August runoffs.
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