Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, left, and Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are rising stars in President Donald Trumps Republican party as two of his most reliable and vocal defenders. Both have flexed their muscles this cycle, collectively funding nine candidates in congressional primaries facing opponents backed by GOP leaders House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.).

Only three of nine candidates funded by Gaetz, Jordan or the House Freedom Fund PAC run by the House Freedom Caucus Jordan chairs, managed to beat those backed by the two GOP leaders. But the groups successes are drawing headlines and not always in a good way.

Freedom Fund-backed House candidates Marjorie Greene in Georgias 14th District, and Anna Paulina Luna in Floridas 13th District have drawn scrutiny from both Democrats and GOP leaders.

Politico uncovered past statements by Greene that were widely criticized as racist and Islamaphobic. They included comparing the Black Lives Matter campaign to the Ku Klux Klan and calling the 2018 elections of Muslim Democratic Representatives like Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) part of an Islamic invasion of our government.

Luna has ties to the nonprofit We Build the Wall, a group whose leadership is under indictment for alleged personal use of the tax-exempt funds. She also compared Hillary Clinton to herpes on Fox News, which prompted the network to make a rare apology for one of its guests comments.

Both will be on the ballot in November after winning competitive primaries.

GOP Leadership has strongly denounced Greene, a stance that has yet to change since her decisive primary victory. In the deep-red Georgia district, Greene is all but assured to take the seat of Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.), who announced his resignation ahead of the election.

Still, Jordan, Gaetz and the House Freedom Fund collectively backed 59 candidates that McCarthy and Scalise also supported via campaign donations, including Jordan and Gaetz themselves, signaling that the two sides often agree.

While Jordan and Freedom Fund-backed candidates have had mixed success against those funded by GOP leadership, Gaetz endorsement has preceded several anti-establishment victories, especially in his home state. In Florida, Gaetz-backed candidates won in two primaries. In the 21st District, Gaetz endorsed and campaigned for controversial pro-Trump candidate Laura Loomer, whose campaign manager was also a senior adviser to Trumps 2016 campaign.

Loomer has drawn the ire of some GOP members because of her history of Islamaphobic remarks and support for baseless conspiracy theories. Her election night party was attended by disreputable far-right figures including Roger Stone, Breitbart contributor Milo Yiannopolous and founder of the self-described Western chauvinist group the Proud Boys, Gavin McInnes. Loomer has been banned from major social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for hate speech.

House GOP leaders have stayed largely silent on Loomer, not denouncing or supporting her. However, Trump has tweeted his support. Loomer faces four-term incumbent Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) in November in a seat considered safely Democratic.

In Floridas 15th District, Gaetz broke a long-held precedent against sitting representatives endorsing opponents to incumbents in their party, endorsing Lakeland City Commissioner Scott Franklin who ousted freshman Rep. Ross Spano (R-Fla.).

The split came after House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) endorsed an unsuccessful primary challenge to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). He pushed for a roll call vote on the CARES Act in late March, forcing members of Congress to return from home to the Capitol. Gaetz has since called on Cheney to step down from her leadership role amid attacks on Cheney from other members of the House Freedom Caucus, including Jordan.

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House GOP leaders and Trump allies clashed in primaries here's how they fared - Center for Responsive Politics