Susan Wright lost her congressional race, but the big loser was Trump

The unexpected loser in Tuesday’s Texas special election was Susan Wright, widow of the former Republican representative for North Texas. But the bigger loser could have been former President Donald Trump.

At a time when Trump is pressuring Republicans to follow his lead, the defeat of the candidate, whom he strongly supported in a friendly Texas district, raises questions about his political influence outside the GOP among the broader electorate.

Polls show the former president is popular with Republicans. But his numbers are far less favorable in the general electorate, where a majority rejects his unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 presidential election was “rigged” by widespread fraud and his claim that Joe Biden was illegally elected.

Trump, who carried 51% of the mostly suburban 6th district last November, backed Wright in the open primary in May, where she led the field of 23 candidates. His political committee ran television ads against State MP Jake Ellzey in her runoff, and Trump joined her in a tele-rally on the eve of Tuesday’s vote.

But the late MP Ron Wright’s widow reportedly ran a lackluster campaign, and Ellzey polled 53% to win the seat he narrowly lost in a 2018 primary to Wright, who died of COVID-19 in February. Interestingly, Ellzey’s victory came a week after former Texas Governor Rick Perry, who served in Trump’s cabinet, said the former president had “sold a bill of materials” to Wright supporters who wrongly slandered Ellzey.

A similar view was expressed by former MP Joe Barton, Wright’s predecessor. He also backed Ellzey, who likely received help from Democrats who were forced to choose between two Republicans.

The surprising outcome came at a time when Republicans who favor a forward-looking approach fear that the former president’s continued focus on 2020 could hurt the GOP’s chances of regaining the House and Senate in the 2022 midterm elections.

And the former president’s political clout will be re-tested next Tuesday in a GOP primary with multiple candidates for an open seat in suburban Ohio, where he sponsors a coal lobbyist against a state legislature named by the retired Republican congressman of the District is supported.

Meanwhile, there are concerns that Trump may not endorse the strongest general election candidates in attempting to sway the GOP primaries for some crucial races in the 2022 US Senate. Recent campaign funding reports showed that several of his favorites are raising less money than potential rivals.

In North Carolina, Rep. Ted Budd, whom Trump endorsed for the seat of retired GOP Senator Richard Burr, followed behind former Governor Pat McCrory, who criticized Trump’s claims of fraud in 2020.

In Alabama, Rep. Mo Brooks, the Trump-backed candidate, was outraged by Katie Britt, former chief of staff for retired Sen. Richard Shelby. And in Ohio, a Cleveland car dealer trumped a trio of GOP hopefuls vying for Trump’s support.

Meanwhile, a long Associated Press history raised serious questions about the personal and business background of former soccer star Herschel Walker, whom Trump encouraged to challenge Georgia Democratic freshman Raphael Warnock.

The former University of Georgia running back, who later played for the Dallas Cowboys and currently lives in the Dallas area, has reiterated Trump’s criticism of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s campaigning role in 2020. Kemp is headed for re-election and would likely share the top of the GOP ticket with Walker if he won the party’s Senate nod, which could create an awkward situation that could affect their two chances.

Trump’s potential role could also cause problems in another Senate race, competing for the success of Missouri’s Senator Roy Blunt’s resignation. The former president has yet to choose among several pro-Trump hopefuls. However, his son Donald Jr.’s partner, Kimberly Guilfoyle, has taken over the presidency of former Governor Eric Greitens, a controversial figure who was forced to resign from state governorship after disclosing an extramarital affair.

Some Republicans believe Greitens would not be as strong a candidate as other potential candidates, including Attorney General Eric Schmitt and several members of the GOP House of Representatives, for a seat that should remain Republican.

The fact that most of the potential Trump-related problems arise in Senate races is hardly surprising, given that statewide elections generally attract a wider electorate than House elections. House Republican Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy has warmly welcomed the former president’s efforts and believes it will help raise millions in campaign funds and increase the chances of him becoming the next House Speaker.

In contrast, relations between Trump and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who assumed the former president’s role in sparking the January 6 uprising that overran the Capitol when lawmakers counted the votes, remain poor criticized.

What happened in Texas on Tuesday can only add to McConnell’s concern that Trump’s support in 2022 could sometimes be as big an issue for the GOP as support.

Carl P. Leubsdorf is the former head of the Washington office of the Dallas Morning News and is a regular contributor. Email: carl.p.leubsdorf@gmail.com

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