President Donald Trump continues to show strong influence in the 2026 primary elections. All candidates he endorsed emerged victorious in their contests, demonstrating his significant grip on the GOP. This was highlighted by Ken Paxton’s victory in the Texas Senate primary runoff.
Despite Trump’s overall success, Florida media executive Jim Schwartzel secured the GOP nomination over Trump’s endorsed candidate in Florida’s 19th Congressional District. Schwartzel’s victory, despite Trump’s support for Catalina Lauf, deviated from the trend of Trump-endorsed candidates performing well in primaries.
As of mid-July, 97% of Trump-endorsed candidates had triumphed in their primary races. Ballotpedia’s election tracker noted Trump’s endorsement success rate has consistently been 93% or higher since 2018.
The Florida primary attracted attention due to its diverse group of candidates. The field included figures like former Rep. Madison Cawthorn from North Carolina, former congressman Chris Collins from New York, and Jim Oberweis, a former Illinois state senator. The national media labeled this race a ‘carpetbagger primary,’ predicting the winner would likely secure a spot in Washington.
During the campaign, Schwartzel criticized Lauf for previously running in Illinois before moving to Florida. Lauf, however, defended herself as a ‘blue state refugee,’ saying she chose to relocate and settle in Florida.
Lauf accused Schwartzel of involvement in the firing of a local meteorologist. Schwartzel denied these claims, clarifying he did not own part of the network responsible.
Upon Trump endorsing Lauf, Schwartzel remarked, ‘The president endorsed my opponent tonight. You’re hearing it from me before you hear it anywhere else.’ He emphasized his longstanding support for Trump and highlighted the external influences that affected the race.