Trump Endorses Rick Brattin for Missouri’s 5th Congressional District

Trump backs state Senator Rick Brattin, a former U.S. Marine, citing support from Governor Mike Kehoe and three Missouri congressmen ahead of the House race.

First Published: August 3, 2026, 3:27 PM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump endorsed Rick Brattin, a Missouri state senator and former U.S. Marine, for the state’s 5th Congressional District seat.

The endorsement leans on backing from Governor Mike Kehoe and Congressmen Jason Smith, Bob Onder and Eric Burlison, whom Trump named as supporters of the campaign. Trump cast Brattin as a candidate who would cut taxes, secure the border and defend the Second Amendment.

“Rick Brattin has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Missouri’s 5th Congressional District — RICK WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump said in the post.

The move places the president’s political weight behind a candidate in a district anchored by Kansas City, one of Missouri’s most populous regions. An endorsement from Trump has reshaped Republican primaries across the country, elevating lesser-known contenders past better-funded rivals.

Here is the full post on truthsocial: “It is my Great Honor to endorse MAGA Warrior, Rick Brattin, who is running to represent the wonderful people of Missouri’s 5th Congressional District! Rick is strongly supported by many of the greatest America First Patriots in Missouri, including Governor Mike Kehoe, and Congressmen Jason Smith, Bob Onder, and Eric Burlison, among others! From bravely fighting for the U.S. Marine Corps, to strongly representing his community as a State Senator, Rick has served his State and Nation with great distinction, and will bring that same Fighting Spirit to the U.S. Congress. Everywhere Rick Brattin has gone, he has been respected! As your next Congressman, Rick will work tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Incredible Military/Veterans, Safeguard our Elections, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment, which I have flawlessly fought to protect for many years. Rick Brattin has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Missouri’s 5th Congressional District — RICK WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” on August 3, 2026 at 7:18 PM ET.

This is Trump’s 29th message released today, and the last post was 5 minutes ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 83 of his 462 posts over the last 30 days classified as Elections posts.

The stakes fall heaviest on the Republican field competing for the seat. A presidential endorsement can starve rivals of donors and volunteers, while opponents must decide whether to press on or step aside. Voters in the district gain a clearer signal of where the party’s national leader stands.

Brattin has served in the Missouri General Assembly, moving from the state House to the state Senate, and previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Trump framed that record as preparation for Congress, tying military service to the campaign’s law-and-order and border themes.

Missouri’s 5th District covers Kansas City and surrounding areas, and its representation has shifted with the state’s broader partisan trends. Missouri has moved firmly toward Republicans in statewide contests over the past decade, giving Trump’s backing added force in a primary.

For the average reader, the endorsement matters most on Election Day. The winner will help decide House control and the fate of tax, energy and immigration policy that touches household budgets and jobs.

This has happened before. Trump has issued hundreds of endorsements across House, Senate and gubernatorial races since 2016, and many endorsed candidates advanced through crowded primaries on the strength of his name.

Missouri’s Republican primary voters hold the next decision. They will choose the party’s nominee at the ballot box, though a specific primary date for this race has not been announced.

Congressional endorsements have long shaped American elections, as happened before. Party leaders from earlier eras traded support for loyalty, and the practice sharpened during the machine politics of the 19th and early 20th centuries. New York’s Boss Tweed steered nominations through Tammany Hall in the 1860s and 1870s. Tweed’s grip eventually collapsed under fraud convictions, a reminder that concentrated influence over nominations can lift a candidate quickly and fall just as fast.