GOP Rep. Renee Ellmers of North Carolina was the chosen one. She was the first Congressional representative to endorse Donald Trump, and he returned the favor several days before her Tuesday primary against two other candidates.
Ellmers, who had fallen into disfavor with her tea party base, thought it was a score, touting Trump’s support in emails and rolling out a robocall he recorded for her. "Together, we will make American great again," he declared.
It was the best! Except it wasn't.
Early Tuesday evening, Ellmers lost her primary to George Holdings, a Tea Party-backed congressional representative who, thanks to gerrymandering in North Carolina, was drawn into the same district as Ellmers. [...]
The outcome of the House primary indicates trouble for other officials in tight races who have aligned themselves with Trump. The controversial nominee could be such a toxic factor for down-ticket races that Democrats have expressed cautious hope about winning back control of the Senate.
And potentially the House, we might add. Ellmers also drew the ire of conservative abortion activists after opposing a radical bill that would have outlawed abortions after 20 weeks with only a narrow exception for rape victims. She seemingly tried to make up for the deficit with social conservatives by announcing her support for the state's anti-transgender HB2 law.
“I do believe in the essence of HB2,” Ellmers said. “I do believe the federal government needs to back off. This is a state issue and needs to be handled by the general assembly and the governor.”
Bottom line: Her overtures to The Donald and his requital couldn't save her. Trump picked a loser, and Ellmers’ defeat will surely send Republican candidates running in the other direction. Whether they can get away from Trump far enough and fast enough remains the question.