Upcoming special elections for the U.S. House in Texas and Ohio will serve as a barometer of just how powerful former President Donald Trump’s endorsement — currently the most coveted in Republican politics — is six months after leaving office.
In his ongoing effort to cement his status as the leader of the GOP, Trump has intervened in otherwise under-the-radar intraparty contests set to take place in Texas’ 6th congressional district on Tuesday and Ohio’s 15th congressional district on Aug. 3. By doing so, he has pitted himself against some prominent national and local Republicans who are backing other candidates in the races.
Republicans around the country will be closely watching the results of those special elections to gauge Trump’s broader influence within the party when he does not possess the megaphone he once did heading into the 2022 midterm elections.
