Donald Trump's political endorsement strength gets a new test Tuesday in Ohio

• If coal industry lobbyist Mike Carey wins, Trump could reclaim influence in the GOP.
• A first-time candidate, Carey is part of an 11-member Republican primary field.
• In Texas last week, a Trump-endorsed candidate lost a run-off, eroding views of a Trump nod's value.

WASHINGTON – For the second time in a week, former President Donald Trump puts the strength of his political endorsements on the line.

A Trump-backed congressional candidate in Ohio faces a crowded Republican primary on Tuesday, just seven days after another Trump-favored candidate lost a run-off election in Texas.

A victory by coal industry lobbyist Mike Carey would give Trump a chance to reclaim a large measure of influence within the Republican Party; a defeat would trigger more questions about the real value of an endorsement from the former president.

"If Trump loses this one, going forward, I can see him being more cautious about handing out endorsements," said J. Miles Coleman, an associate editor with the University of Virginia Center for Politics.