Trump’s Mixed Primary Night: Senate Wins, Georgia Loss
Tuesday’s primary elections and runoffs across Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, California, and Washington, D.C., delivered a nuanced verdict on President Donald Trump’s endorsement power. While Trump-backed candidates swept three high-profile Senate primaries, billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson dealt the president a stunning defeat in Georgia’s Republican gubernatorial runoff, overcoming Trump’s year-long endorsement of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones with a self-funded campaign that topped $100 million.
The Price of Overcoming Trump
Jackson’s victory in the Georgia governor’s runoff was the night’s most consequential upset. The healthcare CEO spent more than $100 million — largely from his own pocket — to defeat Jones, who had secured endorsements from both Trump and outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp. Jones spent roughly $30 million in comparison. According to Al Jazeera, Jackson opened an early lead on Tuesday night and never relinquished it.
Jackson will now face Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor and Biden White House official, in November. Bottoms, who won her primary outright last month, is seeking to become the nation’s first Black female governor. Georgia has not elected a Democratic governor this century, setting the stage for one of the most closely watched races of the midterm cycle.
As Atlanta News First reported, the race drew Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr, who finished third and fourth in the primary, before Jackson and Jones advanced to the runoff.
Senate Races: Trump Dominates
While the Georgia governor’s race proved that Trump’s endorsement is not invincible, his influence in Senate primaries remained undiminished. In Georgia, Trump-endorsed Rep. Mike Collins won the Republican Senate runoff, defeating former college football coach Derek Dooley, who was backed by Gov. Kemp. Collins will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November in what is expected to be one of the most competitive midterm campaigns in the country.
In Alabama, Trump-backed Rep. Barry Moore won the GOP Senate primary runoff, defeating former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson. Moore, a three-term congressman, is heavily favored in the general election to succeed Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who vacated the seat to run for governor. According to NBC News, Moore said in his victory speech that “when I call [Trump], he takes my calls, and we can work together with the senators, that delegation and certainly the president of the United States.”
In Oklahoma, Trump-endorsed Rep. Kevin Hern won the GOP Senate nomination outright with 63.7% of the vote, avoiding a runoff entirely.
The MAGA Establishment Paradox
As NBC Washington noted, Tuesday’s results highlighted a growing paradox within the MAGA movement. Trump rose to power as an insurgent outsider, but now sits atop a sprawling establishment. In Alabama, he backed a three-term congressman (Moore) over a Navy SEAL outsider (Hudson) who tried to harness anti-establishment fervor. Moore won, but the dynamic underscores tensions within the GOP as the movement transitions from insurgency to incumbency.
Oklahoma: Minimum Wage Rejected, Governor’s Race Heads to Runoff
Oklahoma voters rejected State Question 832, which would have raised the minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour, with more than 56% opposed. In the governor’s race, Trump’s late endorsement of former state Sen. Mike Mazzei resulted in a near-tie with Attorney General Gentner Drummond, forcing an August 25 runoff.
D.C. and California: Progressive Momentum
In Washington, D.C., democratic socialist city council member Janeese Lewis George held a firm lead over Kenyan McDuffie in the Democratic mayoral primary, though ranked-choice voting tabulation continued and results may take days. Trump had threatened federal intervention if Lewis George wins. In California, Democratic state Sen. Aisha Wahab advanced to the August 18 special general election to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned amid sexual assault allegations.
Georgia Secretary of State: Moving Past 2020
In a down-ballot race with national implications, State Rep. Tim Fleming won the Republican nomination for Georgia secretary of state, defeating Vernon Jones who leaned heavily into 2020 election conspiracy theories. Fleming will face Democrat Penny Brown Reynolds in November, signaling that Georgia GOP primary voters may be moving past election denialism, at least in lower-profile contests.
What to Watch Next
The D.C. mayoral race remains uncalled as ranked-choice tabulation continues, with official results expected by June 21. Oklahoma’s gubernatorial runoff between Mazzei and Drummond will take place on August 25, testing whether Trump’s endorsement proves decisive in a second round. California’s special election for Swalwell’s seat is set for August 18. All eyes now turn to November, with Georgia emerging as the epicenter of battleground politics for the 2026 midterm elections.