Three losses in one night
President Donald Trump suffered a string of defeats in Tuesday's Republican primaries. Three of his endorsed candidates lost their races, in Wyoming and in two congressional districts in Florida.
In Wyoming, Megan Degenfelder lost the Republican nomination for governor, finishing with less than 30 percent of the vote. In Florida, Representative Cory Mills lost his bid for reelection to Ryan Elijah, a former television reporter, by about 10 points. Catalina Lauf, whom Trump endorsed late in the race, fell behind conservative radio host Jim Schwartzel in the contest to replace Representative Byron Donalds.
A pattern of defeats
The losses bring the number of Trump-backed candidates defeated this primary season to ten. That matches the combined total from the 2018, 2020 and 2024 cycles, according to an analysis by CNN. Nearly 300,000 people turned out to vote in the three races on Tuesday.
Trump reacted to the Florida result on Truth Social. "I told Congressman Cory Mills of Florida, a friend of mine, to get out of the Race, but he wouldn't listen," he wrote. He added that the winner, Ryan Elijah, "stands for everything MAGA."
What it means for the GOP
Political analysts say the results show that Trump's endorsement is no longer a guarantee of victory. In previous years, his picks almost always won their primaries. This season, candidates in safe Republican districts and statewide races have shown they can win without his backing.
The losses do not mean Trump has lost control of the party. Most of his endorsed candidates still win. But the pattern has raised questions about his influence, especially as his approval numbers sag. More primaries are scheduled in the coming weeks, and analysts say the number of losses could grow.