Vulnerable Republicans step up appeals to Trump amid primary threats
A handful of these senators have faced criticism from the right wing accusing them of not being sufficiently supportive of Trump and his agenda.
Since Trump took office in January, however, some of these Republicans, including Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.), John Cornyn (Texas) and Thom Tillis (N.C.), have taken steps to show their allegiance to Trump through public statements and support for his nominees.
'[Trump's] the most powerful he's ever been,' Republican consultant Scott Wilfong said. 'And if you don't have his favor, you're looking to get it.'
The risk of a primary challenge for not being supportive enough of the president has been a political reality for the GOP during the Trump era. Since first taking office, Trump has shown a willingness to criticize members of his own party, withhold his endorsement of them and even back challengers to incumbents, unlike any of his predecessors in the Oval Office.
While the Republican Party has only become increasingly unified behind Trump, there remains a handful of party figures who — despite considering themselves strong supporters of the president and overwhelmingly voting in line with his stances — have been attacked for insufficient loyalty and commitment to his ideals.
This criticism has generally come from Trump's most fervent supporters, some of whom are interested in ousting those members of Congress.
The most vulnerable may be Cassidy, the two-term Louisiana senator who already has a primary challenge announced.
Louisiana state Treasurer John Fleming (R) launched his candidacy for Cassidy's seat in December, declaring Cassidy has 'failed the people of Louisiana' and arguing the state deserves a 'true conservative voice.'
Fleming slammed Cassidy's support for some legislation supported by the Biden administration, including the bipartisan infrastructure law and gun safety law passed in the aftermath of the Uvalde, Texas, shooting.
But the biggest blemish on his career in the eyes of Trump's most loyal followers is voting to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Cassidy's willingness to criticize Trump could be his main Achilles' heel, more than any policy issue, said Wilfong, who is based in Louisiana.
'I think it's unique, because I really don't know a lot of policy issues that voters are mad at Cassidy on. He doesn't have one of those bad votes, other than the vote on Trump,' Wilfong said, adding that some may be upset at his infrastructure bill vote, but the anger is not as pronounced.
Wilfong said Cassidy has improved his chances in recent years, coming 'back from the dead,' putting in hard work for local constituents and delivering infrastructure money for the local government. And he, and others in similar positions, have been playing up their allegiance to Trump.
The social media profiles for Cassidy, Tillis, Cornyn and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst (R) are filled with posts praising the president's decisions and noting contrasts with the Biden administration.
Posts thanking and praising the Trump administration are certainly commonplace for Republican members of Congress, but may have particular importance for those in potentially vulnerable electoral positions.
'You can never thank Donald Trump too much, but you can thank him too little,' one North Carolina Republican operative said.
Beyond statements declaring support for Trump's energy policy and '100%' backing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following the leak of plans to attack the Houthis, Cassidy recently responded to Trump's executive order to dismantle the Education Department by introducing legislation to formally shut it down.
Cornyn officially launched his reelection campaign Wednesday and immediately began the video with praise for Trump's time in office and affirming that Cornyn 'had his back.' This came days after Cornyn received attention for plugging Trump's 'Art of the Deal,' posting a picture of himself reading it.
Cornyn has faced criticism for reaching across the aisle from the party's right flank, as state Attorney General Ken Paxton seems poised to challenge him for the Republican nomination. Paxton has attacked Cornyn over his support for continued U.S. aid to Ukraine and the gun safety legislation.
Some county parties in Texas censured Cornyn for his vote.
One of the thorniest recent issues for these senators was their decisions on some of Trump's most controversial nominees, including Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Cassidy's position as chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee gave him prominence in deciding whether to support advancing Kennedy's nomination. After expressing hesitation, he voted in favor.
Tillis was viewed as a possible defector for these votes but declared he would support any nominee voted favorably out of committee and ultimately did back all of them, despite reportedly telling Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) initially that he would vote against Hegseth.
Tillis has faced attacks for voting for Democratic priorities, such as the gun safety legislation and the Respect for Marriage Act, votes that led to the state GOP censuring him. He also faced backlash for efforts working with Democrats on a compromise immigration deal that ultimately didn't advance.
The North Carolina operative said Tillis has 'legitimate' issues with the Republican base but said no major name appears primed to challenge him currently. The controversial former Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) has ruled out a run, and the only others currently running are little known.
Former state superintendent nominee Michele Morrow has been subject of speculation about a possible run, but the operative said she could be plagued by baggage from her unsuccessful campaign, despite being effective at raising money.
He said he believes Tillis's relationship with Trump is currently positive even if it might not be as strong with some Trump allies. But demonstrating support will need to be consistent, he added.
'Like it or hate it, that's part of the game now,' the operative said. 'And so, if I were him, I'd be down at Mar-a-Lago a lot, and I'd be finding some part of the Trump agenda to really champion loudly and make myself champion for that.'
Someone who may be in an even stronger position may be Ernst, who has received some attacks from the right but hasn't been quite as much a target as others.
She took center stage in the Hegseth nomination process as a key member of the Armed Services Committee. After expressing concerns about Hegseth, including his past statements on women in the military, Ernst voted for his confirmation.
Doug Gross, a former Republican nominee for Iowa governor, noted widespread pressure on Ernst from the right to confirm Hegseth, particularly amid a possible primary challenge from radio talk show host Steve Deace.
An opinion piece from state Attorney General Brenna Bird (R) also caught attention from political observers as Ernst was making her decision. The piece didn't mention Ernst by name but referenced 'D.C. politicians' not ignoring their constituents in what was considered a subtle nod at the senator.
'[Bird's] sending a signal for Trump here in the state and the MAGA base. Joni has been very adept at adjusting when need be to avoid that, and I think she's effectively done that,' Gross said. 'I don't hear any more about primary opponents.'
Gross said Trump's influence has escalated more than during his first term, when he still wasn't shy about using it in primaries.
'The difference this time is twofold,' he said. 'One is, they are in full control of the levers of power, full control, in the party and the country. And secondly, they run a very disciplined political operation that's willing to punish those that aren't with them and reward those that are.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Thai-Cambodia Clashes Enter Second Day as US Calls for Ceasefire
(Bloomberg) -- The armed military conflict between Thailand and Cambodia entered a second day, with troops using rockets and artillery to shell targets along their contested border as the US joined other nations in calling for an immediate ceasefire. Trump Awards $1.26 Billion Contract to Build Biggest Immigrant Detention Center in US The High Costs of Trump's 'Big Beautiful' New Car Loan Deduction Can This Bridge Ease the Troubled US-Canadian Relationship? Salt Lake City Turns Winter Olympic Bid Into Statewide Bond Boom Thailand's government put the death toll from the deadliest clashes in more than a decade at 14, including a soldier. Thai authorities have also said more than two dozen people were injured, some seriously, while Cambodia is yet to report on casualties. The Thai army said Cambodian 'forces conducted sustained bombardment' using heavy weapons, field artillery and rockets through Friday morning, and that it responded appropriately and advised civilians to avoid the conflict zones. Cambodia's defense ministry confirmed shelling overnight and claimed to control the site of three disputed temples, the Khmer Times reported. Read: What's Behind Deadly Thailand-Cambodia Border Clash?: QuickTake The flareup in clashes on Thursday, which included Thai airstrikes on Cambodian military bases using F-16 fighter jets and Phnom Penh's attack on civilian areas in Thailand, followed a months-long border standoff that also pushed Thailand's ruling coalition to the brink of collapse. Thai stocks and baht declined a second day. The baht fell 0.2% to 32.33 per dollar, in line with regional peers, while the benchmark stock index fell as much as 0.6%. The fighting has drawn condemnation from world leaders, with the US saying it was gravely concerned. Read: Cambodia Clash Heaps Pressure on Embattled Thai PM, Boosts Army 'The United States urges an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians, and a peaceful resolution of the conflict,' State Department deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott told reporters in Washington on Thursday. Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash Elon Musk's Empire Is Creaking Under the Strain of Elon Musk It's Not Just Tokyo and Kyoto: Tourists Descend on Rural Japan Confessions of a Laptop Farmer: How an American Helped North Korea's Wild Remote Worker Scheme A Rebel Army Is Building a Rare-Earth Empire on China's Border ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data


New York Post
22 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump admin appeals to Supreme Court to allow $783M research-funding cuts over DEI
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to allow it to cut hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of research funding in its push to roll back federal diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The Justice Department argued a federal judge in Massachusetts was wrong to block the National Institutes of Health from making $783 million worth of cuts to align with President Donald Trump's priorities. US District Judge William Young found that the abrupt cancellations ignored long-held government rules and standards. Advertisement The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to cut $783 million of research funding in an effort to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion policies. AP Young, an appointee of Republican President Ronald Reagan, also said the cuts amounted to 'racial discrimination and discrimination against America's LGBTQ community.' 'I've never seen government racial discrimination like this,' Young said at a hearing last month. Advertisement An appeals court left the ruling in place. The ruling came in lawsuits filed by 16 attorneys general, public-health advocacy groups and some affected scientists. US District Judge William Young argued against the Trump administration that the proposed cuts amounted to 'racial discrimination and discrimination against America's LGBTQ community.' AP His decision addressed only a fraction of the hundreds of NIH research projects that have been cut. Advertisement The Trump administration's appeal also takes aim at nearly two dozen cases over funding. Solicitor General D. John Sauer pointed to a 5-4 decision on the Supreme Court's emergency docket from April that allowed cuts to teacher training programs to go forward, one of multiple recent victories for the president at the nation's highest court. The order shows that district judges shouldn't be hearing those cases at all, but rather sending them to federal claims court, he argued. 'Those decisions reflect quintessential policy judgments on hotly contested issues that should not be subject to judicial second-guessing. It is hardly irrational for agencies to recognize—as members of this Court have done—that paeans to 'diversity' often conceal invidious racial discrimination,' he wrote.


UPI
23 minutes ago
- UPI
FCC approves Skydance-Paramount $8B merger
1 of 3 | The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday announced it had approved Skydance's acquisition of Paramount Global. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo July 24 (UPI) -- The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday announced its approval of Skydance's $8 billion acquisition of Paramount Global, ending months of uncertainty surrounding the deal but inflaming allegations of corruption directed at the Trump administration. The FCC voted 2-1 in favor of Skydance's acquisition of Paramount and all of its subsidiaries, including Paramount Pictures, CBS television, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. Among the commitments Skydance made to the Trump administration was ensuring it will include news and entertainment programming that "will embody a diversity of viewpoints across the political and ideological spectrum" and that CBS News' reporting "will be fair, unbiased and fact-based," according to the FCC. Skydance has also pledged that it will not establish any diversity, equity and inclusion policies -- ideology that seeks to create inclusive environments that the Trump administration has been seeking to remove from both public and private sectors on allegations of discrimination. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr described the merger as a change that will instill public trust in media. "It is time for a change," he said in a statement. "That is why I welcome Skydance's commitment to make significant changes at the once storied CBS broadcast network." Though the FCC said Skydance does not have any DEI programs, Carr said the agreement "marks another step forward in the FCC's efforts to eliminate invidious forms of DEI discrimination." Skydance announced the deal in July of last year, but the merger has stalled amid frictions with the Trump administration, as President Donald Trump has sparred with CBS News. Trump sued CBS News while campaigning for re-election in October for $10 billion in a lawsuit many saw as one he wouldn't win over editing of a 60 Minutes interview with his political opponent, Democrat Kamala Harris. He then upped the amount in damages to $20 billion after winning re-election. Earlier this month, Paramount Global reached a $16 million settlement with Trump that Democrats and critics of the Trump administration are calling a bribe and an affront to free speech -- accusations that only intensified after Trump earlier this week said Skydance has pledged $20 million more in advertising, PSAs and "other Similar Programming, for a total $36 MillIon Dollars." Paramount Global told UPI that the $16 million, minus fees and costs, will be allocated to Trump's future presidential library. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the only Democrat of the three commissioners and the only one not appointed by Trump, dissented to the merger, and described Paramount's settlement as "cowardly capitulation" and accused the FCC of losing its independence. In her strongly worded dissent, Gomez warned that this merger will not be the last time the Trump administration threatens the First Amendment. "The Paramount payout and this reckless approval have emboldened those who believe the government can -- and should -- abuse its power to extract financial and ideological concessions, demand favored treatment and secure positive media coverage," she said. "It is a dark chapter in a long and growing record of abuse that threatens press freedom in this country." Democrats were quick to lament their concerns online. "Trump filed a sham lawsuit against CBS, but instead of fighting it CBS' parent company, Paramount, paid Trump $16 million to his future library. So, you got to ask, why did Paramount do that if the suit was quote 'meritless'?" Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said in a video statement published online. "Well, maybe because they needed Trump to approve their multibillion-dollar merger, which Trump just did. The appearance of this wink-wink deal basically let's every other company and every other billionaire know that Trump is open for business, apparently happy to accept offers in exchange for favors." Warren has called for a full investigation into the deal. Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass, and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., described Thursday as "a dark day for independent journalism" and called the approval of the merger "a stain on the storied history of the Federal Communications Commission. "The FCC's approval of the Paramount-Skydance merger reeks of the worst form of corruption. The timing speaks for itself: Paramount settled with Trump for $36 million on Tuesday and the FCC approved the merger on Wednesday," they said in a joint statement. "The stench of this transaction will linger over the commission for years."