Letlow and Fleming Advance in Louisiana GOP Senate Primary, Unseating Cassidy
Washington — CBS News reports that Representative Julia Letlow and Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming have advanced to a runoff in the Senate Republican primary held on Saturday. This outcome has unseated incumbent GOP Senator Bill Cassidy.
At 68, Cassidy was one of the seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict then-President Trump following the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. Despite his efforts to work with the administration, President Trump endorsed Letlow in January, urging her to contest for Cassidy’s Senate seat.
Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social, “Letlow ran a fantastic race, beating an Incumbent Senator by Record Setting Numbers.”
He expressed confidence that Letlow would be an outstanding senator for Louisiana. Trump’s post highlighted Cassidy’s supposed misuse of their relationship for political gain and criticized his vote to impeach Trump.
During his speech to supporters, Cassidy emphasized America’s core principles. “It is about the welfare of all Americans, and it is about the Constitution,” he stated. Letlow, in contrast, praised Trump as “the best president this country has ever had.” Letlow became the first Republican woman to represent Louisiana in Congress in 2021, following a special election prompted by her husband’s death from COVID-19 complications.
In the primary race, Letlow focused on Trump’s endorsement, labeling Cassidy as disloyal to the GOP. Fleming, formerly a Trump administration member and U.S. House representative, branded himself as “the only conservative MAGA Republican” in the campaign.
Cassidy, a medical doctor, disagreed with the administration on several occasions, including issues with the HHS Secretary and vaccine policies. Cassidy countered Letlow’s criticism of his conservatism by pointing out her prior support for DEI programs in education. Fleming also accused Letlow of backing DEI initiatives.
The primary illustrates Trump’s continued political influence. Earlier achievements include successfully pushing Indiana Republicans opposing his redistricting efforts. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, having backed Cassidy’s candidacy, expressed support through Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Thune described Cassidy’s service as a “terrific senator for Louisiana.”
Former GOP Senator Mitt Romney praised Cassidy’s expertise and character. “Bill Cassidy’s departure is a loss for the country,” Romney remarked.
On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis, a third-generation farmer, won the nomination. He defeated candidates such as Nick Albares and Gary Crockett. However, Louisiana remains a Republican stronghold, making it likely the GOP primary winner will secure the Senate seat in the upcoming general election.
Notably, Louisiana’s Republican Governor, Jeff Landry, paused the state’s House primaries following a Supreme Court decision affecting the congressional map. Nonetheless, the Senate primaries proceeded.