Trump endorses Michael Alfonso for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District

ByRichard Miniter

First Published: July 15, 2026, 9:15 AM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald Trump endorsed Michael Alfonso for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District in a Truth Social post on July 15, 2026 at 1:01 PM ET.

Here is the full post on truthsocial: “It is my Great Honor to endorse MAGA Warrior, Michael Alfonso, a young “STAR” who is running to represent the incredible people of Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District. Michael is the son-in-law of our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, and the wonderful Rachel Campos-Duffy, of FoxNews, one of the most popular (and talented!) anchors in all of Television. His family has been fierce advocates for our Movement to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! As your next Congressman, Michael will work tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Champion our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Military/Veterans, Safeguard our Elections, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Michael Alfonso has been a WINNER all of his life, comes from a truly spectacular family, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Trump tied the endorsement to a prominent Republican family. Alfonso is the son-in-law of Sean Duffy, the Secretary of Transportation and a former Wisconsin congressman, and Rachel Campos-Duffy, a Fox News anchor. The president called Alfonso a “MAGA Warrior” and pledged him his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”

The endorsement lists a familiar policy platform. Trump said Alfonso would work to grow the economy, cut taxes and regulations, champion farmers and ranchers, secure the border, support the military and protect the Second Amendment.

The stakes reach beyond one district. A Trump endorsement carries weight in Republican primaries, where his backing has repeatedly shaped outcomes and cleared fields for favored candidates. For Alfonso, a first-time contender with no established public record, the endorsement supplies name recognition and a fundraising signal. For rival Republicans, it raises the cost of challenging a candidate carrying the president’s brand.

Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, in the northern part of the state, has tested the Duffy family before. Sean Duffy represented the district for nearly a decade before resigning in 2019, and the seat has leaned Republican in recent cycles. The district’s rural economy, anchored in farming and manufacturing, aligns with the platform Trump described in the post.

This is not the first time Trump has used his platform to elevate a candidate tied to an ally. Throughout recent election cycles, the president has issued hundreds of endorsements, frequently favoring loyalists and relatives of allies, and his picks have often prevailed in Republican primaries.

The next decisions rest with Wisconsin voters. Alfonso must first advance through a Republican primary before facing a general-election contest. A date for the primary in this race has not been announced.

Party endorsements from a sitting president have reshaped congressional races before. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched what critics called a “purge,” campaigning against Democrats who opposed his New Deal agenda in that year’s primaries. Roosevelt targeted several incumbent senators and House members, yet most of the lawmakers he opposed survived their primaries and returned to Congress. The episode exposed the limits of presidential intervention, weakening Roosevelt’s grip on his own party heading into the 1938 midterms.

Source: Zenger real-time database of all Truth Social posts.
Note: Chart generated on July 15, 2026 at 1:09 PM ET