In last year’s midterm elections, former President Donald Trump was endorsing primary challengers to incumbent Republicans.
Trump has become quieter ahead of 2024’s elections for Congress… but he may already be looking at 2026.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, has been campaigning on behalf of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of Trump’s rival candidates for president. After that, he faced Trump’s calls for a primary challenge.
On Monday, Trump said on Truth Social, “Has any smart and energetic Republican in the Great State of Texas decided to run in the Primary against RINO Congressman Chip Roy. For the right person, he is very beatable. If interested, let me know!!”
Roy is set to run unopposed in next year’s primaries. To run next year, a primary challenger would have needed to file by Dec. 11, more than a week before Trump’s post on Truth Social.
Trump may have missed his deadline for recruitment this year… but he looks likely to renew his recruitment efforts in 2026.
After all, Trump also criticized Roy before the 2022 elections. In May 2021, Trump opposed Roy’s bid for House Republican Conference chair, the leadership post vacated by Liz Cheney.
“Can’t imagine Republican House Members would go with Chip Roy—he has not done a great job, and will probably be successfully primaried in his own district,” Trump said in a statement obtained by the Texas Tribune at the time.
However, Roy has hit back, and he’s earned some defenders.
Roy disputed the characterization of himself as a “RINO.” He retweeted an old survey naming his old voting record as the most conservative in Congress.
“You want to come at me to call me a RINO, you can kiss my a**,” Roy said in a viral video. “Come to my office.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., defended Roy on Twitter.
One television host even tweeted, “I am supporting Trump in the primary but I disagree with this.”
Take a look —
Triggered Chip Roy sounds like the daily screeching DeSantis shills on SPACES 🤡❤🐊 never back down man bro/karen pic.twitter.com/vzMBMy1ikj
— miguelifornia (@miguelifornia) October 4, 2023
We “Rinos” just doing our thing… #DeSantis2024 #DeSantisDelivers https://t.co/bXOlgf5cQx pic.twitter.com/qcn7GJwPUb
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) December 19, 2023