Trump Throws Missouri GOP Senate Race Into Chaos With ‘Eric’ Endorsement
Eric Greitens says he’s “honored to receive President Trump’s endorsement,” though there’s no final word on whether he was endorsed.
Cliff Hawkins/Getty
On Monday evening, former President Donald Trump issued an endorsement in the hotly contested Republican Missouri Senate race.
Except Trump didn’t just pick one candidate. Instead, he appeared to choose two candidates, both of whom, Eric Greitens and Eric Schmitt, have the same first name.
“I trust the Great People of Missouri, on this one, to make up their own minds, much as they did when they gave me landslide victories in the 2016 and 2020 Elections, and I am therefore proud to announce that ERIC has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” Trump said in a statement.
Following the the former president’s announcement, Greitens told The Daily Beast through a spokesperson that he was “honored to receive President Trump’s endorsement,” despite the unclear endorsement.
“From the very beginning of the race, I have been the true MAGA Warrior fighting against the RINO establishment backing Mr. Schmitt,” he added, citing a message Trump sent out Sunday night on Truth Social slamming Schmitt.
Schmitt then also claimed the Trump endorsement as his own, saying in a statement: “It is truly an honor to have President Trump’s endorsement.”
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Not to be outdone, Greitens then tweeted that he’d spoken to Trump and thanked him for the endorsement.
I just had a GREAT phone call with President Trump, I thanked him for his support!
— Eric Greitens (@EricGreitens) August 1, 2022
Together we will MAGA & Save America! 🇺🇸
Schmitt also said the ex-president had called him and he had thanked him for his vote of confidence in the race.
The last-minute Trump statement comes just before Election Day and follows The Daily Beast’s reporting that Trumpworld remains very much divided on the race.
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