Trump Endorses Navy Veteran Hung Cao in Virginia GOP Senate Primary

Former President Donald Trump has endorsed retired Navy Capt. Hung Cao in the competitive Virginia Republican Senate race.

On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump praised Cao as a “Combat Veteran and Highly Decorated Special Operations Officer” and highlighted his commitment to tackling inflation, boosting the economy, securing the border, supporting the military and veterans, and defending the Second Amendment. Trump stated, “Hung Cao has my Complete and Total Endorsement.”

Former President Donald Trump holds a rally in the historically Democratic district of the South Bronx on May 23, 2024, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Cao is one of five Republicans aiming to unseat incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., in a state that leans Democratic but elected Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2021. According to the Washington Post, Cao’s primary competition comes from Scott Parkinson, Club for Growth’s Vice President of Government Affairs and a former adviser to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Parkinson has raised the second-highest amount of money among GOP candidates.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif. and Hung Cao greet voters and supporters on midterm Election Day at the Round Hill Elementary School Precinct on Tuesday, November 08, 2022, in Round Hill, VA. (Jabin Botsford/Washington Post via Getty Images)

The Republican field includes attorney and author Jonathan Emord, lawyer Chuck Smith, and business owner Eddie Garcia. Cao, who previously ran unsuccessfully for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District in 2022, leads in fundraising among GOP candidates with over $2 million, more than double Parkinson’s $841,000. Despite his fundraising success, Cao lags behind Kaine, who has raised $13 million since 2019 and faces no Democratic primary challengers.

Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a Buckeye Values PAC Rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on March 16, 2024. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Cao’s campaign faces significant challenges, including a “Solid D” rating for the Senate seat from the Cook Political Report, reflecting strong support for Kaine and President Biden’s 10-point victory over Trump in Virginia during the 2020 presidential election.

As a Vietnamese refugee who came to the United States at age four, Cao expressed his gratitude for Trump’s endorsement, calling it an honour. The Virginia Republican Senate primary is scheduled for June 18.