Both indirectly (war, tariffs, ICE killings) and directly, by recruiting:
Ken Paxton (TX) over the opposition of the entire Republican Party apparatus
Darline Graham (SC), for no actual reason (he doesn’t seem to have liked Lindsey all that much? And any Republican in this seat would have been just as acquiescent as Graham promised to be?)
Michael Whatley (NC) out of spite for Thom Tillis
And assuming Ohio was safe enough to leave open in order to have JD as his VP
Oh he definitely did. But he will never admit it, his ego won’t let him.