Trump personally chose several candidates who just got crushed — and he’s already blaming Republicans for a stunning midterm wipeout

Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, appointed several candidates for the 2022 midterm elections, but his influence appeared to be insufficient as the Democrats gained control of both the House and the Senate. Trump's chosen candidates included Ken Paxton in Texas, Michael Whatley in North Carolina, Mike Collins in Georgia, and Darline Graham in South Carolina, among others.

Among the notable defeats were those of Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio and Steve Hilton in California, although Byron Donalds in Florida managed to win. The poor performance of Trump's candidates prompted a series of angry posts from Trump on his Truth Social account, where he blamed the defeated candidates and even suggested that Texas Governor Greg Abbott might not have lost if he had not become a "RINO" (Republican In Name Only) in recent months.

Trump also distanced himself from the candidates, stating that he was not on the ballot and that, if he were, they would have won "in a landslide." However, a White House official claimed that Trump voters generally turn out when he is on the ballot, suggesting that the responsibility for the losses lies with the candidates themselves.