Trump Endorses Rick Brattin in Missouri’s 5th District House Race

Trump backs state Senator Rick Brattin for Missouri's 5th Congressional District, citing his Marine Corps service and support from Governor Mike Kehoe and three sitting congressmen.

First Published: August 3, 2026, 2:38 PM ET

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

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 6:28 PM ET.

This is Trump’s 28th message released today, and the last post came moments earlier, 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 91 of his 484 posts over the last 30 days classified as Elections posts.

Trump praised the candidate’s military and legislative record and listed policy priorities that included cutting taxes, securing the border and defending the Second Amendment. He named Governor Mike Kehoe and Congressmen Jason Smith, Bob Onder and Eric Burlison as backers of the campaign. A presidential endorsement in a Republican primary carries weight in a district that leans conservative. The 5th Congressional District covers the Kansas City area and surrounding counties, according to house.gov.

Candidates who win Trump’s backing often gain fundraising momentum and name recognition against rivals. Opponents lose a share of the primary electorate that follows his cues. This is not the first time Trump has intervened early in a House race. He issued hundreds of endorsements across the 2022 and 2024 cycles, and candidates carrying his support won the majority of contested Republican primaries.

For the average voter in Missouri, the endorsement signals which candidate the party’s most influential figure prefers, shaping the choices on the primary ballot. The seat sends one member to the House, where the chamber’s 435 voting representatives decide federal law on taxes, spending and national policy. Missouri election officials and primary voters will determine the outcome. The state’s next scheduled congressional primary date has not been announced. The general election for U.S. House seats falls in November 2026, according to house.gov.

Missouri has served as a proving ground for endorsement politics before. In the 2022 Republican Senate primary, Trump backed “ERIC” without naming which of two Erics he preferred, and both Eric Greitens and Eric Schmitt claimed the nod. Schmitt won the primary and later the seat. The result showed that the state’s Republican electorate can reward a favored name even amid confusion over exactly whom the endorsement covered.