‘RINO’ congressman loses primary after failing to secure Trump’s endorsement

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, the only Texas Republican incumbent not to receive President Donald Trump’s endorsement in this election cycle, lost his re-election campaign on Tuesday, according to unofficial results.

Crenshaw, who was hoping to secure a fifth term in Texas’ 2nd Congressional District, was defeated in the primary race by state Rep. Steve Toth (R).

Toth ‘has stepped up to the plate to challenge one of Congress’s biggest RINOs, Dan Crenshaw.’

Toth received just under 57% of the vote, securing a majority and avoiding a runoff election.

Hours after polls closed on Tuesday, Toth declared victory, posting a video on X and stating: “Big thanks to the voters of Congressional District 2. I will work hard for all of you.”

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) endorsed Toth ahead of the race, writing in a post on social media, “Steve faithfully served the people of Texas in the Texas House of Representatives, championing our Texas values of liberty, limited government, and constitutional governance.”

“Steve is an unwavering fighter for school choice, fiscal responsibility, and the next generation of Americans. Washington needs bold leadership and representatives who will stand up for Texans at every turn,” Cruz continued. “Steve has the experience, the courage, and the conviction to do just that. I’m honored to support his campaign and urge voters in Texas’s 2nd Congressional District to join me in electing Steve Toth to Congress.”

RELATED: Tuesday’s must-watch primaries: The races that will determine if America First takes over in 2026

Dan Crenshaw. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images

Some of Toth’s supporters have accused Crenshaw of opposing President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda.

Mark Ivanyo, the executive director of Republicans for National Renewal, stated, “@SteveTothTX has stepped up to the plate to challenge one of Congress’s biggest RINOs, Dan Crenshaw. Crenshaw has stood against MAGA consistently and held out as a stalwart of the Liz Cheney wing of the GOP that has done so much damage to our country.”

RELATED: Dan Crenshaw brushes off apparent death threat as ‘hyperbole’ as ethics complaint looms

Photographer: Sharon Steinmann/Bloomberg via Getty Images

U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) endorsed Crenshaw last week, crediting him for doing “a lot behind the scenes” “to help weed out the public corruption in Washington.”

An internal poll from Crenshaw’s campaign released in November showed the incumbent with a 28-point lead over Toth, according to a press release.

At the time the polls closed in Texas, 7:00 p.m. local time, bettors on Kalshi Markets gave Crenshaw a 68% chance of winning the election. Less than two hours after polls closed, those predictions swung in Toth’s favor with nearly 99% odds.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!