In Republican primary after Republican primary this year, the endorsement of Donald Trump has proven to be the "gold standard" for candidates.
Simply put, by carrying the former president's blessing among the fateful, the chances are better-than-even that a candidate will emerge triumphant — at least in securing the GOP nomination.
But in the most-watched and by far most-contested U.S. House primary in Wisconsin on Tuesday night, this might not necessarily be the case.
With Rep. Mike Gallagher's stunning decision not only to retire this year but resign, three Republicans are vying to succeed him. Earlier this year, Trump came out with a strong endorsement of former gas station owner and first-time candidate Tony Wied. In a much-discussed commercial, Trump not only endorses fellow "MAGA Republican" Wied but calls on another candidate, former state Sen. Roger Roth, to withdraw from the race.
But are Badger State conservatives following Trump's lead and rallying to Wied? Hardly. In June, a group of "name" conservatives revolted over Trump's endorsement and hosted a high-dollar reception on behalf of Roth. Among them were former two-term Gov. Scott Walker, billionaire shipping magnate and major conservative donor Richard Uihlein, and former Bradley Foundation President Michael Grebe.
Roth is well-known from his almost-successful race for lieutenant governor in '22 and as the nephew of much-loved former Rep. Toby Roth, who represented a major portion of the 11-county district from 1978-96.
Wied, Roth, and state Sen. Andre Jacque are considered strong conservatives who agree on almost every issue. The differences are in terms of background and style. Wied cites his business background while Roth notes he served four tours of duty in Iraq and was also a small businessman. Jacque has run hardest on cultural issues such as the pro-life cause and has the endorsement of the Pro-Life Wisconsin organization as well as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Whatever the outcome in the primary Tuesday, the most-discussed feature of the race will almost surely be whether Donald Trump's blessing packs its usual punch.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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