Trump's endorsement no longer the 'golden ticket' to victory: prominent Republican

The Trump stamp of approval doesn’t have the same weight as it once did, a prominent Republican weighing a Senate race said at a behind-close-doors meeting of other GOPers.

The comments – which goes against the tide of Republicans desperate to get Trump's backing – were made by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Politico reported. He said an endorsement from former President Donald Trump is no longer the “golden ticket” to nomination victory that it once was, Politico said.

He estimated just 20 percent of GOP voters care who Trump puts his weight behind, according to a recording of the comments obtained by Politico.

“There is another 20 percent that care about who he endorses but that’s not going to be the decision maker. And then there’s probably another 60 percent of the party that doesn’t care who he endorses,” he said.

Notably, LaRose wouldn’t repeat the comments publicly when contacted by Politico.

LaRose is considering entering the race to unseat Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

He said that he expected to get Trump’s support in the contest, but he wouldn’t go “begging for it,” he said at a Cuyahoga Valley Republicans meeting last month.

Among his opponents would be Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno, whose daughter is married to former Trump White House official and Congressman Rep. Max Miller (R-OH). LaRose said he believes Miller is desperately trying to get Trump’s nod.

“Max has been making trips down to Mar-a-lago saying hey Mr. Trump, President Trump, can you endorse my father-in-law? Notice that [Trump] didn’t endorse him but he said nice things about him,” LaRose said in the recording.

He also gave examples candidates who’d won despite Trump’s endorsements.

“Here’s an example, there is a new U.S. senator from Alabama — we can agree it’s a pretty conservative state. She won the primary in ‘22 and didn’t have the Trump endorsement. She was the better candidate,” he said.

“The guy Trump endorsed came out to be a dud of a candidate and so Katie Britt won the primary and got elected as U.S. senator from Alabama.

So it’s entirely possible even back in ‘22 that the best candidate regardless of the endorsement is the one that wins.”