Senator of La. Republican Bill Cassidy failed to make it through the primaries, as he was voted in by Trump supporters
WASHINGTON — Sena. Bill Cassidy was denied a third term by voters in the Louisiana Republican primary on Saturday, as he was expected to finish third behind Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.) honored by Trump and state Treasurer John Fleming.
With 92 percent of the vote, Letlow was leading with 44.8 percent and Fleming was second with 28.4 percent, and the Associated Press was expected to win – with Cassidy close behind with 24.7 percent.
Now Letlow and Fleming will move on to June 27, when Letlow was chosen to be nominated because of the power of President Trump’s endorsement, which he emphasized in an article on Truth Social Friday as he returned to Washington from a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Cassidy, 68, is one of seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump of inciting sedition following the January 6, 2021, Capitol protest. As Sen. With Susan Collins (R-Maine) facing an uphill battle for re-election in November, that number could be reduced to one — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — when the 120th Congress convenes on Jan. 3, 2027.
Aside from the impeachment vote, Cassidy also called on Trump to withdraw from the 2024 election following his indictment on charges of storing national security documents at Mar-a-Lago and said the administration is not pro-life enough.
Trump retaliated by endorsing Letlow in January, before he announced his candidacy, ensuring that Cassidy would have to fight for the nomination.
President Trump also took a swipe at Cassidy moments before the results were announced, calling her “dishonest” on social media.
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is a dishonest disaster. His entire previous Senate campaign was about ‘TRUMP,’ how he had me all the way, and then, after he won, he turned around and voted to IMPEACH me with what has since become a “bulls—!” Trump posted on Truth Social Saturday during the vote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Washington’s most powerful Pelican Stater, he admitted on Wednesday that the three-cornered war had left him “in a bad mood.”,” saying Letlow was “like a sister to me” and noting that Fleming had preceded her in representing Louisiana’s Fourth District.
Cassidy spent months trying to bury the hatchet with Trump, even reluctantly voting to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services despite conflicting with the vaccine nominee.
Meanwhile, Cassidy and Fleming need Letlow from his past job as a senior executive at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, where he described himself as a “strong and progressive leader” and supported diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Cassidy’s defeat continues a tough month for Trump supporters after five Indiana Republicans disagreed with him on the repeal of restrictions passed in their primaries.
The next test of Trump’s sway over the GOP is set for Tuesday, when liberal Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), faces farmer and former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, who is backed by the president.
