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President Donald Trump is turning his attention toward the November general elections after a string of successful Republican primary interventions that reinforced his influence over the GOP, according to allies and advisers close to the president.
The president’s advisers say the president has largely concluded his campaign against Republican critics and is now focused on preserving Republican control of both the House and Senate in the 2026 midterm elections.
“We’ve basically moved on to general elections now,” James Blair told the Washington Examiner, while acknowledging that some primary contests are still unresolved.
Blair recently stepped away from his White House role as deputy chief of staff to oversee President Trump’s political operation through the remainder of the election cycle. He previously helped direct Trump’s 2024 political comeback effort alongside White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
According to Blair, the defeat of Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie by Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein represented the culmination of Trump’s efforts to politically punish Republican opponents.
In Louisiana, Rep. Julia Letlow advanced to a Senate runoff election after receiving Trump’s endorsement, while Sen. Bill Cassidy failed to advance.
Trump-backed efforts also helped unseat several Republican state senators in Indiana who opposed a GOP-led redistricting initiative.
In Texas, Trump recently endorsed Attorney General Ken Paxton in his Senate runoff against Sen. John Cornyn, a move widely viewed as strengthening Paxton’s position.
The president also recently attacked one additional “RINO” candidate in South Carolina ahead of the state’s primary.
“There’s this RINO Candidate in the Palmetto State named David Pascoe, a lifelong Democrat who previously endorsed Crooked Joe Biden for President, and served as a Biden Co-Chair in South Carolina, who is running in the Republican Primary to be your next Attorney General — Pascoe is a total fraud and phony, and is no friend of our incredible Movement to, MAKE SOUTH CAROLINA, AND AMERICA, GREAT AGAIN!” he posted to Truth Social on Thursday.
Trump allies also believe recent court rulings involving congressional maps could improve Republican prospects heading into November. A recent Supreme Court ruling and a favorable decision from the Supreme Court of Virginia are developments benefiting Republicans in upcoming congressional races.
The RNC is also expected to enter the summer with strong cash on hand, while Democrats continue managing debts from former Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign.
