Trump maintains undefeated 118-0 endorsement streak in 2026 GOP primary races

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump is once again proving that no Republican survives politically without his blessing.

As the 2026 primary season heats up, the president is sitting on a stunning perfect endorsement streak across Republican congressional and gubernatorial races, reinforcing his status as the undisputed power center of the GOP.

Trump, who turns 80 next month, has watched 118 of his endorsed Republican candidates emerge victorious so far this cycle. 

Trump’s GOP endorsement power grows

Trump’s dominance has stretched far beyond high-profile Senate contests. According to a Fox News tracker, his endorsed candidates have won 101 House races, nine Senate races, and eight gubernatorial contests so far.

Even state legislative races have turned into loyalty tests tied directly to Trump’s influence.

Earlier this month, five Indiana state senators who opposed Trump on mid-decade redistricting were defeated by candidates backed by the president.

One race is still heading toward a recount, but the message coming from Trump’s orbit is already clear: crossing him carries political risk.

“After years of weak globalists and elitists leading our party, President Trump transformed the GOP into the party of the working class,” Sen Bill Cassidy told The Post on Wednesday. 

“Newsflash to those who still have not caught on: Support the America First agenda or lose your election,” he added. Veteran Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf admitted Trump’s hold over Republican voters remains unmatched.

“The Republicans have real leadership - that’s unquestionable,” Sheinkopf said. “And the party faithful respond to him, respond to that leader, Donald Trump, and it’s his political party.

Bill Cassidy and other Republicans become examples of Trump’s political reach

One of the clearest signs of Trump’s continued dominance came with Bill Cassidy’s defeat in Louisiana.

Cassidy became the first Republican senator since Indiana’s Richard Lugar in 2012 to fail to win renomination from his own party during a regular election cycle.

The loss carried symbolic weight because Cassidy had voted to convict Trump during the impeachment proceedings following the January 6 Capitol riot. 

Trump never forgot that vote and repeatedly targeted Cassidy as part of what many Republicans privately describe as his political revenge campaign. Trump’s influence has also become a tool for controlling congressional Republicans still in office.

The president recently threatened Rep Thomas Massie and even floated the possibility of future political trouble for Rep Lauren Boebert after disagreements tied to Massie.

While a source familiar with Trump’s thinking said he is “not focused on Boebert right now,” the threat alone showed how powerful Trump’s endorsement weapon has become inside the party.

His allies now openly frame Republican primaries as loyalty tests tied to the America First movement. Henry Olsen, an elections expert and senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said Trump successfully changed the ideological identity of the Republican Party itself.

“That is now a majority view among Republicans,” Olsen said while discussing Trump-backed nationalism and America First politics. “That philosophical change will outlast Trump’s personal endorsement,” he added.

Trump’s endorsement machine grows stronger ahead of 2026 elections

Trump’s current endorsement streak is even stronger than during his earlier years in politics.

Back in 2018, his previous midterm cycle while serving in office, Trump recorded a 95% success rate in GOP primaries from just 37 endorsements, according to Ballotpedia.

In 2022, while out of office, Trump-backed candidates still posted a 93% success rate. That climbed again to 96% in 2024. Now, with Trump fully back in the White House, his political operation appears even more organized.

Potential endorsees are reportedly vetted carefully before Trump officially backs them, partly because Republicans want to avoid the candidate-quality issues that hurt the party in previous midterm elections.

At the same time, Trump’s influence is creating tension inside the GOP. Some senators, including Cassidy and Thom Tillis, have become more outspoken after Trump turned against them politically.

But many Republicans appear unwilling to challenge him directly, knowing his endorsement power can end careers almost overnight. “This [2026] is a referendum on him,” Sheinkopf said.

“But when it comes to the referendum on him nationally, well, that’s a different question,” he added. “It’s about Donald Trump … the same way in ’94, it was about Clinton and the healthcare plan. Now it’s about Trump, the war, and costs.”