Sen. Bill Cassidy Fails to Secure Third Term in Louisiana Primary
In a surprising turn of events, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy lost his bid for re-election during the Louisiana Republican primary held on Saturday. He finished in third place, trailing behind U.S. Representative Julia Letlow, who received support from President Trump, and state Treasurer John Fleming.
Letlow emerged as the frontrunner, garnering 44.8% of the votes, while Fleming secured 28.4%. Cassidy followed with 24.7%, marking the end of his campaign. With 92% of the votes counted, Letlow and Fleming are set to head into a runoff on June 27, and Letlow, given Trump’s backing, is anticipated to have an edge.
The former president reiterated his support for Letlow in a post on Truth Social after returning from a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Cassidy, 68, was among the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump on insurrection charges stemming from the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. With Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) also facing challenges in her re-election, Cassidy’s loss could leave Lisa Murkowski of Alaska as the only Republican senator who supported Trump’s impeachment when Congress reconvenes on January 3, 2027.
In addition to the impeachment vote, Cassidy had previously called for Trump to step down in light of the upcoming 2024 election, following Trump’s indictment related to national security documents at Mar-a-Lago. Cassidy also expressed concerns that the Trump administration was not sufficiently supporting pro-life groups.
Before declaring her candidacy, Letlow received an early endorsement from Trump, who later seemed to ensure that Cassidy would face a tough fight for renomination. Prior to the election results, Trump labeled Cassidy as “disloyal” on social media.
Trump took to Truth Social during the vote counting, critiquing Cassidy’s loyalty. “Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is a dishonest disaster,” he stated, referencing Cassidy’s past campaign alignment with Trump before his impeachment vote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) noted the awkwardness of the three-way contest, mentioning that Letlow is “like a sister to me,” highlighting her ties to the state.
Cassidy had spent a fair amount of time reconciling his differences with Trump and, although he disagreed with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccines, he begrudgingly voted to confirm him as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Throughout the race, Cassidy and Fleming also scrutinized Letlow’s previous tenure at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where she positioned herself as a “strong, progressive leader” championing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Cassidy’s defeat follows a recent success for Trump supporters, as five Indiana Republicans who had opposed him on redistricting were ousted in their own primaries. The next test for Trump’s sway within the Republican Party will occur on Tuesday with a race against liberal Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ed Gullane, a farmer and former Navy SEAL endorsed by Trump.
