Former President Trump’s sway over the electorate was demonstrated in the Texas primaries on Tuesday night when all of his endorsed candidates either won or are in first place for a run-off.
In a statement to the former president on Wednesday, Texas Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick (R) announced that Trump went 12-0 in his Texas primary endorsements.
“I am proud to tell you that every candidate I asked you to endorse won or is solidly in first place going into a runoff. You were 12-0 with your Texas endorsements last night from my list of recommendations,” said Patrick.
“Your key endorsement of strong conservative candidates, who believe in the MAGA policies, who worked hard every day for months was a winning combination over their opponents,” he added.
Patrick noted that he received “more votes than any person on the ballot,” ending with 1.4 million votes and 300,000 more votes than what he received in the 2018 primaries.
“It appears to be an all-time record for any candidate ever in a Texas contested primary. I used your endorsement in all of our ads, mailers and was pinned to the top of my Facebook page for months,” said Dan Patrick.
Other examples included Ryan Guillen, a former border region Democrat who became Republican, who won with 54 percent of the vote in a three-way race.
“He is the bold Democrat that changes parties in the border region,” an enthusiastic Dan Patrick said. “That is something you should be very proud of. That was a historic win that will open the door for more conservative Hispanic Democrats to switch parties.”
In the four-way attorney general’s race, the Trump-endorsed Ken Paxton came out in first place and will face Texas land commissioner George P. Bush in a run-off come May.
“Paxton led the four-candidate field by a comfortable margin, despite feisty and well-funded challenges from Bush, former state Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman and Rep. Louie Gohmert,” noted CNN.
More victories of Trump-endorsed candidates, per Dan Patrick:
Kevin Sparks, the oilman in West Texas, won in a four-way race with nearly 54% of the vote.
Mayes Middleton won in a four-way race with 56% of the vote.
Governor Abbot won with 66% in an eight-way race.
I won with 76% of the vote in a six-way race and, as noted, had highest vote total of any candidate.
Glen Hegar won easily in a two-way race.
Angela Paxton won 65% in a two-way race.
Texas Election Update from @DanPatrick: pic.twitter.com/ZB6g0ltbvB
— Natalie Harp (@NatalieJHarp) March 3, 2022
Texas held the first primaries leading up to the 2022 mid-terms, during which Republicans could take back control of the House and the Senate.