Former President Trump’s surprise endorsement of TV’s Dr. Oz on Saturday in the Republican U.S. Senate primary in Pennsylvania is a gamble, and a substantial test of his endorsement power.
Why it matters: If Mehmet Oz’s chief rival for the nomination, Dave McCormick, wins anyway on May 17, people will say the words Trump hates most: “He did it without Trump.”
Behind the scenes: McCormick met twice with Trump at Mar-a-Lago — including last Wednesday — hoping for his endorsement or at least his neutrality.
- The endorsement would have meant a lot to McCormick and his wife, Dina Powell, who was a deputy national security adviser for Trump.
The big picture: Trump has already made some failed endorsements this cycle. Each time one of his candidates fails, his aura fades as GOP kingmaker.
- Some of Trump’s advisers are worried about him taking such a risk on Oz — who recent polls suggest is a fairly weak and beatable candidate.
- The road now is harder for McCormick, a former hedge-fund CEO and official of President George W. Bush’s administration. But McCormick could still win.
Between the lines: The former president’s wife, Melania Trump, and Fox News’ Sean Hannity, friends of Oz’s, had been pressing Trump to back him, sources tell Jonathan Swan.
- The endorsement divided MAGA Twitter, with some Trump supporters criticizing his Oz backing.
An open question: How hard will Trump work to help Oz?
- History shows a Trump statement isn’t enough. Will he go scorched earth against McCormick — the husband of Powell, who has brought onto his campaign several high-profile former Trump aides? We doubt it.
What’s next: Beginning a week from today — a month out from the primary — look for one of the hottest statewide ad wars ever.
Go deeper:
Former President Trump’s surprise endorsement of TV’s Dr. Oz on Saturday in the Republican U.S. Senate primary in Pennsylvania is a gamble, and a substantial test of his endorsement power.Why it matters: If Mehmet Oz’s chief rival for the nomination, Dave McCormick, wins anyway on May 17, people will say the words Trump hates most: “He did it without Trump.”Behind the scenes: McCormick met twice with Trump at Mar-a-Lago — including last Wednesday — hoping for his endorsement or at least his neutrality. The endorsement would have meant a lot to McCormick and his wife, Dina Powell, who was a deputy national security adviser for Trump.The big picture: Trump has already made some failed endorsements this cycle. Each time one of his candidates fails, his aura fades as GOP kingmaker.Some of Trump’s advisers are worried about him taking such a risk on Oz — who recent polls suggest is a fairly weak and beatable candidate. The road now is harder for McCormick, a former hedge-fund CEO and official of President George W. Bush’s administration. But McCormick could still win. Between the lines: The former president’s wife, Melania Trump, and Fox News’ Sean Hannity, friends of Oz’s, had been pressing Trump to back him, sources tell Jonathan Swan.The endorsement divided MAGA Twitter, with some Trump supporters criticizing his Oz backing. An open question: How hard will Trump work to help Oz? History shows a Trump statement isn’t enough. Will he go scorched earth against McCormick — the husband of Powell, who has brought onto his campaign several high-profile former Trump aides? We doubt it. What’s next: Beginning a week from today — a month out from the primary — look for one of the hottest statewide ad wars ever. Go deeper:Rick Santorum endorses Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania Senate raceTrump endorses Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania Senate race