Trump lands Pennsylvania endorsements post indictment

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign will announce on Friday that he’s won the endorsements of more than half of Pennsylvania’s House GOP delegation, an illustration of the widespread support he’s maintained among congressional Republicans even after his federal indictment.

The former president’s Pennsylvania backing — from Reps. Mike Kelly, Dan Meuser, Scott Perry, Guy Reschenthaler and John Joyce — further cements his lead in congressional endorsements over his Republican rivals. As of Thursday evening, Trump had received the backing of 56 of the 63 House Republicans who had so far endorsed a candidate, according to FiveThirtyEight, which is tracking congressional endorsements. Trump’s closest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has the support of five House Republicans.

Trump and his team have been pushing aggressively to win the backing of congressional Republicans: Earlier this week, he hosted several of the Pennsylvania members for dinner at his Bedminster, N.J. golf club. Brian Jack, Trump’s former White House political director, coordinated the endorsements with the help of TV ad maker John Brabender, a Pennsylvania political veteran.

The indictment over Trump’s handling of classified documents has done little to dissuade congressional Republicans from backing the former president. Earlier this month, a day after the charges were unsealed, Trump traveled to Georgia, where he unveiled the endorsements of a pair of House Republicans from the state, Andrew Clyde and Mike Collins. Later that day, the former president went to North Carolina, where he received the backing of Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), who as chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee is a member of party leadership.

Congressional endorsements are widely sought among those seeking the presidency: House members have networks of donors, activists and other political players who can lend their support to a candidate.

Trump has long had close relationships with all five House Republicans who endorsed him in Pennsylvania, a general election swing state. He endorsed each of them during last year’s midterm elections. Kelly, meanwhile, was the first House member from the state to announce his support for Trump in 2016. And in 2020, Trump held a tele-rally for Perry, who chairs the House Freedom Caucus.