Cruz Breaks With Trump on Endorsements as Key Primaries Held
Senator Ted Cruz has broken with President Donald Trump in two high-profile Republican gubernatorial primaries, endorsing candidates opposed by the president as voters in five states headed to the polls on Tuesday. The split, playing out across Georgia and South Carolina, underscores growing intra-party tensions and carries implications for the 2028 presidential race as Cruz is widely seen as laying groundwork for a potential White House bid.
Voters in California, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Washington D.C. cast ballots Tuesday in primary and runoff elections that will shape the battle for control of Congress, governor’s mansions, and local offices across the country. But the most closely watched contests center on the question of President Trump’s enduring influence over the Republican Party — and whether a fellow Republican can challenge it.
The Cruz-Trump Split
Cruz endorsed billionaire businessman Rick Jackson in Georgia’s June 16 gubernatorial runoff against Trump-backed Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in a June 23 runoff against Trump-endorsed Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, according to Fox News.
Asked whether he was trying to distance himself from the president, Cruz insisted he is “not remotely” doing so. “The president and I agree on the vast majority of races,” Cruz told Fox News. “What I try to do in every race is endorse the strongest conservative who can win.”
A White House source offered a different view, telling Axios that “Ted Cruz attempting to undermine the president in primaries is a curious way to try to help his 2028 bid.”
Georgia: A Battleground for Party Identity
The Georgia runoffs encapsulate the broader Republican civil war, with competing visions of the party’s future on display.
In the Senate runoff, Trump-endorsed Representative Mike Collins faces former football coach Derek Dooley, who is backed by outgoing Governor Brian Kemp. Collins sponsored the 2025 Laken Riley Act on immigration and has positioned himself as a MAGA champion. Dooley, by contrast, is running as an outsider who can win the general election against Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff.
Tea Party co-founder Debbie Dooley — no relation to the candidate — warned that Collins “will drag down the whole Republican ticket in Georgia,” telling AP News that “this is about actually winning. It’s not about just following Donald Trump.”
In the gubernatorial runoff, Jackson has spent over $100 million of his own money on the campaign, according to AP News. The 71-year-old businessman amassed his fortune from a company providing contract healthcare personnel and has blanketed television and online platforms with ads. “I have lived in poverty,” Jackson told the AP. “When you have not eaten, you never forget the people that are struggling.”
Jones, who has both Trump and Kemp’s backing, was part of Trump’s 2020 alternate elector scheme. He dismissed Cruz’s involvement, telling Fox News: “He keeps on bringing in these out-of-state senators, and I would much rather have the president’s endorsement.”
Alabama and Oklahoma: Testing Trump’s Endorsement Power
In Alabama, Trump-endorsed Representative Barry Moore faces former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson in a Senate runoff to succeed Senator Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor. The campaign has featured heated disputes over military service, with Hudson’s supporters accusing Moore of inflating his record, according to AP News.
In Oklahoma, Trump-endorsed Representative Kevin Hern seeks to replace Senator Markwayne Mullin, now Homeland Security Secretary, while the gubernatorial primary features Trump-backed former state Senator Mike Mazzei facing multiple well-funded opponents. Nearly 72% of funds raised by the top gubernatorial candidates came from their own pockets, AP News reported.
Washington D.C. and California
Washington D.C. voters are selecting a new mayor for the first time in over a decade, as Mayor Muriel Bowser is not seeking re-election. Frontrunners Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie have both vowed to push back more aggressively against the Trump administration than Bowser did. The district is using ranked-choice voting for the first time in a primary election, and Republicans are fielding their largest slate of candidates since 1992, according to Newsmax.
In California’s 14th Congressional District, a special election is being held to fill the seat vacated by scandal-plagued Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell after sexual assault allegations. Eleven candidates are running in the nonpartisan primary.
What the Split Means
Cruz’s decision to publicly oppose Trump-endorsed candidates is significant for several reasons. First, it reveals that even after Trump’s 2024 re-election, his grip on the party is not absolute. Cruz is betting there is room for a conservative who can appeal to both Trump voters and those seeking an alternative.
Second, the endorsements allow Cruz to build relationships in key early presidential primary states. His support for Wilson in South Carolina — a crucial early voting state — could prove valuable if Cruz launches a 2028 campaign.
Third, Cruz is taking a calculated risk. Trump has a strong record of primary endorsements in 2026, and crossing him could alienate Trump loyalists. However, Cruz’s late-stage endorsements, arriving just days before elections, minimize direct confrontation.
What to Watch For
The results of Tuesday’s primaries will provide the first indication of whether Cruz’s gambit pays off. The South Carolina gubernatorial runoff on June 23 will be an even more direct test of Cruz versus Trump influence. Meanwhile, the question of how Trump responds — whether he retaliates against Cruz or overlooks the endorsements — will shape the dynamics of the Republican Party heading into the 2026 general election and beyond.
For now, the intra-party divide is laid bare: Trump’s endorsement power versus Cruz’s bet on electability, with voters in five states delivering the first verdict.