Donald Trump’s influence within his own party is being put to the test. Several primaries in early May in conservative strongholds see well-established Republicans facing challengers supported by the president. And the early signs indicate that Trump’s preferred candidates will not always have the advantage. This suggests that his grip on the Republican party is weakening as his popularity wanes.
These incumbents have committed what Trump calls “mistakes”: Thomas Massie (Kentucky) helped Democrats publish Epstein’s files, Bill Cassidy (Louisiana) voted to convict him during his 2021 impeachment trial, and in Indiana, several senators have defied his orders to redraw the electoral map.
None are running campaigns explicitly against Trump, and all are trying to downplay their differences with the president, who remains popular among Republican voters. But their victories could give other Republicans more leeway to distance themselves further in the lead-up to the November elections.
“There are people who support Trump and will vote for me because they genuinely appreciate both our roles,” said Thomas Massie to HuffPost. “They don’t want a mere executor, and they appreciate that I may sometimes be the lone dissenting voice, as you can have a favorable opinion of Trump while believing that he can be wrong 10% of the time.”
Trump has less time to dedicate to politics
A Republican strategist, speaking anonymously to freely discuss the president, acknowledged that Trump’s influence had decreased, but insisted that he remained by far the most powerful figure in the party. “Of course, you want the president’s endorsement, but at this stage, you might want it as much for the money that comes with it as for the support itself,” he said.
Jesse Hunt, another Republican strategist, emphasized that the president now has much less time to sway voters. “Saying in an ad, ‘Trump supports so-and-so’ is useful, but his real impact is felt when he mobilizes all his capacity to draw media attention to a given subject,” said the official. “He leads the country. He has less time to do so for secondary elections. That’s the reality of power, especially when you’re not running for office.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment. A Trump ally, also speaking anonymously, indicated that he might visit Kentucky and Louisiana before the elections to further support his favored candidates.
At this point, in Kentucky, the few public polls show Massie slightly ahead. He faces Ed Gallerin, a former Navy Seal who is financially backed (to the tune of several million dollars) by groups orchestrated by Trump. Part of the incumbent’s strategy is to present himself more as a Trump ally than a critic, even though his support for the publication of the Epstein files and his opposition to certain administration priorities often make headlines. In an ad, Massie speaks directly to the camera to list a long set of conservative priorities he shares with Trump.
In Indiana, Trump’s candidate almost threw in the towel
In Indiana, Trump seeks to retaliate against eight state senators who defied his request to redraw the electoral map to eliminate Democratic seats before the midterms. He chose local freshman lawmaker Blake Fiechter to challenge Senator Travis Holdman, a state veteran seeking reelection.
After receiving Trump’s support in January, Fiechter announced in February that he was dropping out of the race, finding the task too daunting. He later re-entered the race and joined other Trump-backed candidates during a visit to the White House and a meeting with Senator Jim Banks, one of Trump’s most enthusiastic supporters in the Capitol. “There are many issues motivating voters in Indiana, but I’d bet my Starbucks card that he’s going to lose,” Jim Banks told HuffPost. Alongside Governor Mike Braun, Jim Banks has devoted millions to groups airing attack ads and sending mailers against the incumbents.
Conversely, a local Republican official suggested that voters did not care enough about redistricting to unseat Holdman. But without public polls, it’s difficult to know who is leading.
Distance oneself from the president without saying too much
In Louisiana, Cassidy, one of the Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in 2021, is involved in a three-way primary against Representative Julia Letlow (who has the president’s support) and former Representative John Fleming.
While Cassidy has previously run ads highlighting his relationship with Trump, his most recent spot does not mention the president; instead, it focuses on Joe Biden and the consequences of the Democrat’s policy on employment in Louisiana. Spotted in a Senate hallway, the incumbent told HuffPost he didn’t think the president’s support would determine the outcome of the election. “I think I’m going to win,” he said. “I deliver results for Louisiana. I’ve worked very hard for my state. People want someone who gets results for them.”
Currently, the polls are not in his favor. An Emerson College Polling/KLFY News 10 survey released last week placed him in third place with 21% behind Letlow at 27% and Fleming at 28%. According to the latter, Louisiana Republicans still support the president, and his potential success, even without Trump’s endorsement, does not mean that the president’s influence is diminishing. “This in no way reflects the president’s situation,” he concluded, so as not to offend the future.
Note: This article is a translation by the editorial team of HuffPost France, based on an article published in May 2026 on HuffPost US.The original article can be read here.
