In states like Kentucky, the President’s endorsement still holds the power to end a political career. Reporters on the ground describe a “quiet grumbling” with names withheld. Candidates are walking a tightrope: satisfying a base that remains “primarily satisfied” with the President’s leadership while preparing for a general election where independent voters are fleeing the GOP in record numbers.
“Nobody wants to be the one he targets on social media before they get through their own primary,” said an analyst. “The calculation will change in the fall. When these candidates need to create separation from the President to survive, you will start to see the cracks become chasms.”
