Factions of the Republican Party on display in a Washington race : NPR
NPR Topics: Politics — 2026-08-03 04:00:00 — www.npr.org
Trump Endorses McKinney in Washington’s 4th District, But His Influence Remains Uncertain
Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney in the crowded Republican primary to replace retiring Rep. Dan Newhouse, one of only two House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021 and remain in office. In his endorsement, Trump called McKinney an “America First Patriot” and claimed she would “grow” the economy, lower “migrant crime,” reduce red tape regulations, and lower taxes. He concluded with his signature phrase: “Amanda McKinney has my Complete and Total Endorsement. SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN.”
Trump’s endorsement, however, does not guarantee victory in Washington’s 4th Congressional District. Despite Trump’s popularity in the district—he “handily won” there in 2024—a Trump-backed candidate has never won the seat. Local Republican leaders, such as Yakima County GOP chair Matt Brown, have noted that Trump’s endorsement has not always translated to electoral success in the state: “Look at all the people that have had that endorsement and it hasn’t played out in their favor.”
The Republican primary has become a test of Trump’s ongoing influence within the party. McKinney, who has described herself as an “America First and MAGA Republican,” is running against businessman Jerrod Sessler, who also previously received Trump’s endorsement but lost in 2024, and state Sen. Matt Boehnke, a more moderate Republican. Sessler acknowledged that Trump’s support carries “a tremendous amount of weight” but admitted it is “not a silver bullet,” emphasizing that candidates must still put in significant campaign work.
Trump’s approval in the district has “waned a little bit” in recent months, according to Sessler, who attributed the decline to international issues but defended Trump by arguing that “there’s propaganda out there that wants people to not like President Trump.” Nationwide, Trump faces low approval rates, with a recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll showing his support among rural voters underwater by 10 percentage points.
As the Republican Party contemplates its future beyond Trump, the outcome of this primary will serve as a signal for the direction of the party in a district that is both reliably conservative and demographically diverse. Trump’s endorsement remains a powerful but unpredictable factor in the race, highlighting the ongoing debate within the GOP over the value and limits of his brand of politics.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/08/03/nx-s1-5902154/2026-primaries-washington-state-republican-party-trump