Trump notches more GOP primary wins, but big midterm questions remain

2026 ElectionTrump notches more GOP primary wins, but big midterm questions remainThe president successfully unseated one of his biggest Republican foes on Tuesday in Kentucky, while a Trump endorsement in Texas left GOP senators concerned.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak at Verst Logistics in Hebron, Kentucky, in March.Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 19, 2026, 11:40 PM EDTBy Matt Dixon, Bridget Bowman and Henry J. GomezPresident Donald Trump flexed the strength of his party-transforming political movement again on Tuesday, continuing the successful process of eliminating political enemies within the GOP this month.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.At the same time, the president’s low approval ratings and the war with Iran have raised red flags in key Republican primaries among base voters who supported the president’s “America First” agenda that included the idea of a focus on domestic issues.Those red flags may persist with independent voters and base turnout alike when the general election gets underway in a few months.But in the meantime, Trump continues to prove he can not only influence the Republican primary electorate but also attack Republicans who have opposed him in any way without feeling like there are significant negative consequences.“I think what everyone can take away from this is that Donald Trump is going nowhere,” said a Trump adviser working for his political operation. “He has won, and will continue to win.”Trump earlier this month defeated five incumbent Republican state senators in Indiana who opposed his push for mid-decade redistricting. Over the weekend, Trump’s political machine also blocked Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial, from advancing in his primary in Louisiana, a state he has represented for two terms. The biggest and most e...