What Went Down During The June 28 Primary Elections

Tonight’s not a terribly big night for Trump, as he’s only made six endorsements in the eight states voting today. What’s more, five of Trump’s six endorsees on ballots today are incumbents. Here’s a look at his most notable endorsements:

• First up is Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, who secured a last-minute verbal endorsement from Trump on Saturday at a “Save America” rally. But perhaps more strikingly, Bailey’s campaign has benefited from over $30 million in funds, including from an unlikely donor: incumbent Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who will face whoever wins the Republican primary. A billionaire-turned-politician, Pritzker believes that the staunchly conservative Bailey will be the easiest GOP candidate to beat come November, and so far, his plan is on track: Republican voters are responding warmly, with Bailey favored to win his party’s primary tonight. Meanwhile, Bailey, who isn’t shying away from the help, has warned Pritzker to “be careful what you wish for.”
• Meanwhile, in Illinois’s 15th District, two Republican incumbents will face each other thanks to redistricting, though only one, Rep. Mary Miller, got Trump’s endorsement. Miller’s campaign website is a Trump love-fest, too. The homepage features the two photographed together, followed by a list of her three main stances: pro-Trump, pro-Second Amendment and pro-life — in that order. She also made headlines recently after describing the overturning of Roe v. Wade as a “historic victory for white life.” (A campaign aide has said she misspoke and meant to say “right to life.”) Rep. Rodney Davis, the other incumbent in this race, has frequently denounced Miller’s stances — including her praise of Hitler in early 2021 — as a “disturbing pattern of behavior” that should disqualify her from holding office, but it could be hard for Davis to prevail in this dark-red seat.
• Rep. Lauren Boebert, who serves Colorado’s 3rd district, is another controversial incumbent endorsed by Trump. Similar to Miller in Illinois’s 15th, Boebert’s views mirror Trump’s on practically everything — from the legitimacy of the 2020 election to anti-immigration policies. But today, Boebert is up against state senator Don Coram, who has attacked her for being “all sizzle and no steak,” and posited himself as a more moderate alternative. That said, Boebert has far outraised Coram, speaking to the strength of her candidacy.

Here are all six of Trump’s endorsees I’ll be watching tonight: