President Donald Trump has actively taken on the role of kingmaker in Republican primaries nationwide, promoting candidates who align with his vision while sidelining those who do not pledge full allegiance to him.
However, questions are arising about whether Trump’s influential presence will actually benefit Republicans in the upcoming general elections this fall. The party is striving to maintain its fragile control over the US House and Senate.
A recent poll conducted by JL Partners for the Daily Mail suggests that a nod from Trump might not be advantageous when it comes to courting independent voters.
The survey indicates that 43% of likely voters for 2026 say a Trump endorsement would deter them from supporting a candidate, whereas only 35% say it would increase their likelihood of support.
Specifically among independent voters looking toward 2026, a mere 26% would be swayed to back a Trump-endorsed candidate, while 48% are less inclined to support such candidates.
In contrast, Trump’s endorsement seems to strongly resonate with Republican voters. Just over two-thirds, about 67%, are more inclined to support candidates with his backing, with a mere 8% saying they would be less likely to offer their support.
That affect is appearing to play out in the northern Kentucky congressional primary where Congressman Thomas Massie looks in danger of losing his seat after seven terms.
Trump has waded into state elections as well as federal ones.
US President Donald Trump speaks to the press about the new East Wing next to the construction site at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 19 May 2026
With her then-husband Troy Duhon standing between them, Tracy Duhon (right), Paxton’s reported mistress, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (left) pose for a photo at the Kentucky Derby in May 2024
Trump’s own voters take a markedly different view: 42 percent say he has pitched in at the right level, and 21 per cent want him more active. Just 14 percent each felt he should not be involved at all, or that he has gone too far.
Among likely 2026 voters, 35 percent say a Trump endorsement would make them more likely to back a candidate, against 43 percent who say it would put them off. The same group is evenly split – 28 percent apiece – between backing a new Republican with Trump’s endorsement and sticking with an incumbent who lacks it.
Among Republicans, however, the preference is unambiguous: 61 percent favor a Trump-endorsed newcomer over an incumbent without his blessing, compared with just 25 percent who would side with the incumbent.
The JL Partners survey found 37 percent believe he should stay out of state-level races entirely, 19 percent think he has been too involved and should pull back, 22 per cent say his level of engagement has been about right, and 11 per cent want to see more of him.
Trump has been triggered by Republicans who’ve defied him over his second term. He dubbed the former Georgia Republican Congresswoman ‘Marjorie Traitor Greene,’ after she accused him of abandoning his ‘America First’ policies and ignoring survivors Epstein’s abuse.
That could prove a decisive advantage for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as he bids to unseat Senator John Cornyn in next Tuesday’s Republican runoff for Texas’s US Senate seat.
But in a general election, Paxton could face problems against Democrat James Talarico, who has raised over $40 million and could peel some moderate Republicans off to make Texas competitive.
Trump today announced he is backing Paxton, which prompted Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski to categorize that decision as one that ‘puts that seat in jeopardy’ this fall.
