Trump endorses ‘Eric’ in Missouri primary where 3 Erics are on the ballot

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Former President Trump offered a baffling endorsement on the eve of the Missouri primaries after writing “ERIC has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
• There are 3 ‘Erics’ running in the primary for an open Senate seat — former Gov. Eric Greitens, state Attorney General Eric Schmitt and comedian Eric McElroy.
• Greitens and Schmitt both claimed Trump support but Schmitt eventually won the primary.

Former President Donald Trump on the eve of the Missouri primaries gave his much-coveted endorsement in the Republican primary for Missouri’s open Senate seat, but there was some confusion about who had been selected.

“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 wrote in a statement Monday night.

And with that, Trump apparently rejected anyone in the field of 19 who is not named Eric. There are two leading candidates who share the first name: Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Attorney General Eric Greitens, and one candidate trailing them.

The semi-endorsement came as Schmitt has broken ahead in recent polls, including one by Emerson College released in late July where he led Rep. Vicky Hartzler by 12 points. Greitens was third in that poll.

Greitens, a controversial candidate who resigned in 2018 after a sex scandal and misuse of campaign funds, has been dropping in the polls since June after more than $11 million has been spent on the airwaves by outside groups to keep him from winning the primary and potentially putting this state at play in November’s general election.

Earlier this year, Greitens’ ex-wife has also claimed he abused her and their son, allegations that the Greitens campaign has denied. Sheena Greitens repeated the allegations on Twitter on Monday. 

Shortly after Trump’s statement, both Greitens and Schmitt claimed to have Trump’s full support. 

“President Trump has looked at the candidates and all that’s at stake in this race, and he has given me his COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!” read a campaign fundraising email from Schmitt.

“Honored to have the support of President Trump! We will MAGA! ” Greitens tweeted. Greitens also has ties to Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle, and he tweeted a video of Guilfoyle backing him.

Making matters more complicated, there is a third Eric in the race: Eric McElroy. In a statement, Hartzler said “Congrats to Eric McElroy. He’s having a big night.”

Trump said in July that he explicitly would not endorse Hartzler.

As of this writing, NBC News projects Schmitt has won the GOP nomination for Senate in the state, defeating former governor, Greitens.

Source: PEOPLE