A Has Been? A Flash In The Pan?

The $64,000 question is will they change their ways? Will Republicans in Congress stand up to Trump. Has his gold leaf started to peel?

Trump-backed Republicans lose dozens of US midterm races, raising questions over his influence

Guardian analysis shows how tumbling approval ratings may have hurt candidates backed by US president

The Guardian

Ariana Baio in Washington

Thu 5 Nov 2026 

Dozens of Republican candidates directly endorsed by Donald Trump lost their US midterm election races, according to analysis by the Guardian, raising questions over the power of the president’s support.

In past elections, Trump’s endorsements have been coveted. In the final stages of this year’s campaign, he actively urged voters to act as though he were on the ballot.

But just half of the 26 candidates Trump endorsed for the US Senate had won their elections as of Wednesday at 5pm ET, according to a Guardian tally.

Of the 23 candidates for state governor endorsed by Trump, only nine had won their elections. Twelve were defeated, with two races still to be called.

Has Trump endorsements turned to a Jonah?

The US president’s base has been loyal to his choices. In 2022, approximately 82% of candidates endorsed by Trump went on to win their race, according to the New York Times.

While some races still have yet to be called, his endorsement appears to have had a weaker impact on candidates’ prospects in this year’s midterms. The US president’s handpicked candidates running in closely watched races failed to resonate with conservative voters, even in deeply red states.

Is Trump's endorsements become the "Touch of Death?"

The US president’s gubernatorial endorsements performed the worst of the three categories. Democrats flipped five governor seats including in Texas, which hasn’t seen a Democratic governor in more than 30 years, and in Iowa, which hasn’t had a Democrat running the state since the mid-2000s.

His Golden Touch turns out to be "Fools Gold"