President Trump
Donald John TrumpSouth Carolina detention centers say it will not relocate inmates in mandatory evacuation zones Letitia James routs three Dems to win New York AG primary Trump slams Kerry for 'illegal' meetings with Iran MORE bragged about his prowess in defeating the Republicans who oppose him, saying at an Ohio rally that he “destroys” the careers of GOP politicians who dare defy him.
“How do you get 100 percent of anything? We always have somebody who says ‘I don’t like Trump, I don’t like our president, he destroyed my career,' ” Trump said.
“I only destroy their career because they said bad things about me and you fight back and they go down the tubes and that’s OK,” he added.
Trump says he only "destroys careers" of anti-Trump Republicans because "they said bad things about me." pic.twitter.com/Hj5XGaKx9N
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 4, 2018
Trump didn't name names, but he's on a winning streak in GOP primaries, as candidates he's backed have repeatedly defeated those he sided against.
The most notable example was Rep. Mark Sanford
Marshall (Mark) Clement SanfordMulvaney: Trump regularly asks why Roy Moore lost Dems vow to grab Trump tax returns upon taking majority Insurgency shakes up Democratic establishment MORE, the former South Carolina governor who lost a GOP primary for reelection to his House seat earlier this summer.
Trump tweeted his opposition to Sanford on election day, needling him over a past controversy in which he disappeared from public view to, according to his staff, hike the Appalachian Trail. Sanford, married at the time, was actually in Argentina seeing a woman with whom he was having an affair.
Trump also recently backed Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp over Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in a GOP primary, and saw Kemp win.
But Trump hasn't always been on the winning side. He backed former Sen. Luther Strange
Luther Johnson StrangeAnn Coulter believes Kushner wrote anonymous op-ed bashing Trump Mulvaney: Trump regularly asks why Roy Moore lost The Hill's Morning Report — General election season underway with marquee Senate races set MORE (R-Ala.) last year but saw Roy Moore
Roy Stewart MooreRoy Moore drops lawsuit over campaign ads against him Mulvaney: Trump regularly asks why Roy Moore lost Roy Moore sues Sacha Baron Cohen for defamation MORE pull off a primary victory.
Still, the recent successful primary picks have put Trump's stamp further on the GOP, suggesting it has become Trump's party.
Two GOP senators who have repeatedly criticized Trump, Jeff Flake
Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeRand Paul ramps up his alliance with Trump Poll: Sinema narrowly leads McSally in Arizona Senate race Flake urges GOP to break silence on Trump's 'destruction' of 'democratic norms' MORE of Arizona and Bob Corker
Robert (Bob) Phillips CorkerRand Paul ramps up his alliance with Trump Poll: Republican Blackburn leads Democrat Bredesen by 3 points in Tennessee Senate race The Hill's Morning Report — Sponsored by Better Medicare Alliance — McConnell warns of GOP `knife fight’ to keep Senate control MORE of Tennessee, are also not running for reelection.
