Donald Trump’s hold on the Republican Party has a lot to do with his perceived kingmaker status; when he speaks, GOP voters listen. But on Tuesday night, a Trump-backed candidate lost in a special runoff in Texas’ 6th Congressional District.

State Rep. Jake Ellzey edged out Susan Wright, who held a telerally with Trump on election eve. Trump also recorded a robocall on her behalf. Make America Great Action, a PAC chaired by former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, made a $100,000 ad buy in support of Wright over the weekend.

Huge loss for Trump in Texas. Republican state Rep. Jake Ellzey will win the special election runoff in Texas’ 6th congressional district, CNN projects.
 
Ellzey overcame former President Trump’s endorsement of his opponent, Republican Susan Wright

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 28, 2021

Wright is the widow of former Rep. Ron Wright, who died of COVID-19 last year. She sought to fill her husband’s seat. “I know her well,” Trump said of Wright. “She will be as tough as anyone in Congress.”

It’s easy to read too much into low turnout special elections, but if there is one place where Trump’s endorsement should matter the most it’s in low turnout special elections between two Republicans https://t.co/Yx9mKJUYsG

— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) July 28, 2021

But Ellzey, a Navy veteran, won 53% of the vote. In a victory speech, he told supporters that voters desired “a positive outlook, a Reagan Republican outlook for the future of our country.” 

“It’s essential that we get this right,” he said. “It’s essential that we do it as Americans united, instead of Americans divided; Republicans united instead of Republicans divided.”

Politico reports that “Wright’s defeat is a black eye for Trump, who made the race one of his first post-presidential forays — and the [anti-tax Club for Growth], which hopes to replicate the partnership with the president in other primaries this cycle.” The Club for Growth spent $1.2 in support of Wright’s candidacy.

Ellzey stop short of distancing himself from the former president during the campaign. According to CNN, “He released a video titled “Trump Supporters Love Jake Ellzey” and attended Trump’s and Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott’s border visit last month.” But his bid was likely boosted by Democrats who were allowed to vote in the runoff even though their party failed to advance a candidate there.

Bloomberg provides insight into the fast-changing composition of the district Ellzey will represent in Congress:

The North Texas district won by Ellzey — who narrowly lost the GOP nomination for the seat in 2018 — has long been Republican territory. But Trump’s support in the district had also plummeted: after winning it by double-digits in 2016, he carried it by just 3 percentage points last year, reflecting the trend of Texas’ booming suburbs shifting to purple and, in some places, outright blue.