How much is a presidential endorsement really worth? That question is at the heart of Tuesday’s primary elections across four states and the District of Columbia, as voters weigh in on contests where President Donald Trump has placed his political stamp.
Trump’s backing has generally helped Republican candidates in this year’s midterm cycle, but Tuesday brings fresh challenges to that track record in Alabama, Oklahoma, and Georgia.
In Alabama, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, a three-term congressman backed by Trump, is locked in a GOP runoff against Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL and first-time political candidate. Hudson has leaned into an outsider message — similar to Trump’s own original campaign strategy — portraying Moore as a Washington insider. Trump held a phone rally in support of Moore just last week. The two are competing for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is now running for governor. The runoff winner will face the Democratic nominee this fall.
In Oklahoma, the Senate landscape has shifted following the departure of former U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who left his seat to become Homeland Security secretary, replacing Kristi Noem. GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt is term-limited and cannot run again. Republican Alan Armstrong, an energy executive, currently holds the Senate seat as an interim appointee but is barred by state law from seeking a full term. Trump-endorsed Rep. Kevin Hern, a four-term congressman, is running against four lower-profile opponents in the Republican Senate primary. The GOP gubernatorial race is more competitive, with nine candidates on the ballot — a field so large that an August 25 runoff may be needed if no one clears 50 percent.
In Georgia, two separate high-profile races are drawing national attention. In the U.S. Senate primary, Rep. Mike Collins — a second-term congressman who describes himself as a “MAGA warrior” — is squaring off against Derek Dooley, a former football coach making his first run for office. Trump endorsed Collins on Sunday. The winner will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in what is expected to be a closely watched November race. In the governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who received Trump’s endorsement last August, is facing billionaire Rick Jackson. The winner of that contest will go up against Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, in the general election.
Tuesday’s runoffs in Georgia were triggered because no Republican candidate secured a majority during the May primary.
Also in the news surrounding Tuesday’s elections, a Democrat previously considered a leading candidate for California governor stepped down in April after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her on two occasions — once in 2019 and again in 2024 — including at a time when she worked for him. Additional allegations of sexual misconduct were also reported. The San Francisco Chronicle first broke the story, with the woman stating she had been too intoxicated to consent. The Democrat has denied the allegations and has said he intends to defend himself in the matter.
Meanwhile, voters in Washington D.C. are participating in what political observers are calling one of the most significant primaries the city has seen in decades. It marks the first time since 1990 that D.C. Democrats have had the opportunity to vote for both a new mayor and a new congressional delegate in the same election.
