Jun 21, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Rich McCormick defeats Trump-backed opponent in Georgia primary runoff

Emma Hurt

Rich McCormick. Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Rich McCormick, an emergency room physician and Marine veteran, defeated his Trump-backed opponent Jake Evans in a GOP primary runoff for Georgia's 6th Congressional District on Tuesday, AP reports.

Driving the news: McCormick, who ran unsuccessfully in the previously drawn 7th District, raised nearly twice as much money as Evans. Evans, whose father was a Trump-appointed ambassador to Luxembourg, received Trump’s backing in May.

A string of losses among candidates endorsed by Trump in May has punctured perceptions of his dominance over the GOP for the first time in years

Why it matters: While the seat is currently held by Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), after redistricting it is now a heavily Republican district, so McCormick is all but guaranteed to take office in January.

The big picture: While Evans campaigned strongly on Trump’s endorsement, Trump himself did not lean heavily into the race. His PAC gave Evans roughly $10,000 and Trump spoke for a few minutes at a tele-rally on Evans’ behalf on Monday.

McCormick had also outperformed Evans by more than 20 points in the first round of the May primary.

Go deeper... Trump endorsement tracker: Which candidates have won and lost

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to note that Trump did speak on Evans’ behalf during the campaign.

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Rich McCormick defeats Trump-backed opponent in Georgia primary runoff

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