Headline RoundupSeptember 16th, 2022

Primary Elections Show Trump’s Enduring Influence

Summary from the AllSides News Team

Republican primary elections for the Fall midterms wrapped up this week, the results of which offer a statistical analysis of former President Donald Trump’s enduring influence on the party, shown by the outcomes of his numerous candidate endorsements across the country.

Despite leaving office 20 months ago, Trump remains a central figure in the zeitgeist of American politics, most recently making countless headlines after the FBI executed a warrant search of his Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, with the goal of reclaiming classified documents Trump is alleged to have unlawfully taken during his White House departure. The FBI search, paired with the ongoing January 6 committee’s investigation into the Capitol riot that took place during the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 Presidential election victory, have placed Donald Trump at the center of an election season where his name appears on no ballots.

The results of this primary season show that while Trump no longer holds office, his grip remains tight on the Republican party base. A BBC News breakdown of midterm primary results revealed that Trump-endorsed candidates won 92% of races. More in-depth analysis categorized these victories, showing that while gaining Trump’s approval was an election boost, the former President had an eye for selected candidates with good odds of winning regardless or candidates with no competition in their races. Additionally, Republicans that voted to impeach Donald Trump for the January 6 riot fared poorly in their races, with four of the six incumbent Republican congressional members losing to primary challengers. 

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