Axios: “Donald Trump’s advisers are angry at David McIntosh, president of the conservative Club for Growth, for persuading the former president to endorse a losing candidate in the special election for Texas’ 6th District. Susan Wright’s defeat Tuesday in a runoff with Navy veteran Jake Ellzey dealt a blow to Trump’s aura of invincibility as GOP kingmaker. It’s critical to his 2022 midterm endorsements and continued hold on the GOP. Trump advisers have been ambivalent about the Club’s advice and thought he should stay out of this Republican-on-Republican contest. They take the long view and are protective of his successful record – so far – in GOP primary endorsements.”

“Trump himself disputed the result had dented his power. In a phone call with Axios on Wednesday, the former president conceded McIntosh had pushed him to support Wright but blamed Democrats – not the Club for Growth – for Ellzey’s victory. He also said he actually ‘won’ because Wright had bested Ellzey in the initial primary and the runoff came down to two Republicans he liked. ‘I think this is the only race we’ve lost together,’ Trump said of McIntosh and the Club for Growth, before catching himself mid-sentence on the word ‘lost.’ ‘This is the only race we’ve … this is not a loss, again, I don’t want to claim it is a loss, this was a win… The big thing is, we had two very good people running that were both Republicans. That was the win.'”