Topline
Former President Donald Trump rescinded his endorsement Wednesday for one of his staunchest supporters in Congress, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), who’s fallen behind in the primary race for Alabama's open Senate seat, marking the latest sign his grip on the GOP might be slipping.
Key Facts
Trump in a statement early Wednesday morning attributed Brooks' plunging poll numbers–down from more than 50% in some surveys last year to now under 20%–to his decision to go "woke" and focus his campaign on issues other than Trump's false claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Many other prominent Trump-backed candidates who are parroting the fraud claims are also struggling, like former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), who's trailing incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) in the polls despite the ex-president launching a barrage of attacks against the governor.
Polls still show his chosen candidate in the Georgia Senate race, former football star Herschel Walker, neck and neck with Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), but Walker's campaign has been plagued by a series of bizarre gaffes, like Walker falsely claiming he graduated from the University of Georgia and publicly questioning evolution at an event last week.
In Texas, it's not clear legally embattled, Trump-backed Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) will even win the GOP nomination in his reelection effort—Paxton gathered just 42.7% of the vote in the first round of the GOP primary and now faces Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush in a runoff.
Trump endorsed Republican Sean Parnell in the high-profile Pennsylvania Senate race, but Parnell dropped out in November after losing custody of his three children following abuse claims from his ex-wife.
Trump-backed candidates appear to be struggling in several other races, like the North Carolina Senate contest and gubernatorial races in Idaho and Kansas.
Surprising Fact
Brooks released a statement after the move claiming Trump had asked him “to rescind the 2020 elections, immediately remove Joe Biden from the White House, immediately put President Trump back in the White House, and hold a new special election for the presidency.”
Crucial Quote
"Very sad but, since he decided to go in another direction, so have I, and I am hereby withdrawing my Endorsement of Mo Brooks for the Senate," Trump said. "I don’t think the great people of Alabama will disagree with me."
Contra
Polling suggests Trump-endorsed Republican Harriet Hageman leads Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in Wyoming's at-large House race. Cheney was stripped of her GOP leadership role after voting to impeach Trump over the January 6 Capitol riot.
Key Background
Trump has a strong record of endorsing successful candidates in the past, and he remains a heavy favorite to win the GOP nomination if he runs for president in 2024, but his insistence that bogus 2020 election fraud claims should be the biggest issue in the 2022 midterms appears increasingly out of touch with voters. A majority of Republican respondents in a Politico/Morning Consult poll last month said they believe it's time for the GOP to move past Trump's fraud claims, while only 37% said it should be a continued focus. Some top GOP figures like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have also been vocal about not rehashing false election claims in the midterms, arguing that doing so will only serve to hurt Republicans in what's expected to be a strong election for the party.
Tangent
Trump has also split from GOP leadership and conservative voters with his recent comments on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin "very savvy" and saying his move to recognize two pro-Kremlin breakaway states in eastern Ukraine was "genius." But polling shows a vast majority of Republicans support aiding Ukraine in the war and sanctioning Russia. A Wall Street Journal survey earlier this month found 77% of GOP respondents supported a ban on Russian oil imports even though it would increase gas prices.
Further Reading
‘This Is Genius’: Trump Praises Putin’s Move Into Ukraine–And Blasts Biden (Forbes)
Trump-Endorsed GOP Candidate Accused Of Abuse Drops Senate Run After Losing Custody Battle (Forbes)
Liz Cheney Ousted As GOP Conference Chair In Overwhelming Voice Vote (Forbes)
