President Donald Trump weighed into three competitive Republican gubernatorial primaries on Friday, issuing endorsements for South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra and former Oklahoma state senator Mike Mazzei in a trio of social media posts. The announcements came as the candidates face fast-approaching primary elections: Iowa’s is Tuesday, June 2; South Carolina’s is June 9; and Oklahoma’s is June 16.
In South Carolina, Evette has served two terms alongside Gov. Henry McMaster, one of Trump’s earliest supporters during his first presidential campaign. McMaster endorsed his lieutenant governor earlier this year, and Trump’s backing solidifies the establishment’s preference for Evette in the race to succeed the term-limited governor. The endorsement reduces the chances that a challenger can peel away Trump-aligned voters in the June 9 primary.
In Iowa, Feenstra announced he would leave his House seat to seek the governor’s office, entering a field to replace term-limited Gov. Kim Reynolds. Feenstra, a conservative representing the heavily Republican 4th Congressional District, has positioned himself as a loyal Trump ally. The president’s endorsement gives him a significant advantage in a primary that also includes other Republicans vying for the nomination.
In Oklahoma, Mazzei, a former state senator and fiscal conservative, is running to succeed term-limited Gov. Kevin Stitt. Mazzei faces a crowded primary field; Trump’s endorsement provides a prominent boost in a state where the president remains popular with Republican voters. Oklahoma’s primary is June 16.
The endorsements are the latest evidence of Trump’s sustained effort to shape the Republican Party’s leadership ahead of the midterm elections. Each race will test the president’s ability to deliver victories for his chosen candidates in states where Republican primaries have become proxy battles over the direction of the party.