The Defeat of Senator Bill Cassidy
BATON ROUGE, La. — In a surprising turn of events, Senator Bill Cassidy faced a decisive defeat in Saturday’s Republican primary in Louisiana. This loss marked the end of his bid for another term, despite his efforts to convince voters that he deserved continued service five years after casting a vote to convict former President Donald Trump during the impeachment trial following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Cassidy found himself trailing behind U.S. Representative Julia Letlow, who effectively leveraged the influence of Trump's endorsement. This endorsement came as Trump continues to remove individuals from his party whom he perceives as disloyal. Alongside Letlow, John Fleming, the state treasurer, also advanced to the runoff, set for June 27.
Trump's Influence Over the Republican Party
The outcome highlighted Trump's significant power over the Republican Party, especially as he approaches the end of his second term. Despite challenges such as persistent inflation, declining approval ratings, and dissatisfaction with the war with Iran, Trump remains a central figure in shaping the party's direction.
Unlike some other senators who chose not to run again after disagreeing with Trump, Cassidy fought hard for re-election and spent nearly double the combined amount of his opponents. However, none of these efforts were enough for him to qualify for a runoff, let alone secure a third term.
“Our country is not about one individual,” Cassidy said to his supporters after the loss. “It is about the welfare of all Americans, and it is about the Constitution.”
Letlow's Victory and Trump's Support
In contrast, Letlow quickly embraced Trump's role in her victory. During her celebration, she expressed gratitude to "a very special man who you all know, the best president this country has ever had, President Donald Trump."
When asked about Cassidy's vote during the impeachment trial, Letlow described it as "a sign that he had turned his back on the Louisiana voters." Trump celebrated the result on social media, stating, “that’s what you get by voting to Impeach an innocent man.”
Trump's Purge of Disloyal Politicians
Trump has been actively purging his party of politicians who have crossed him. On May 5, he helped remove five of seven Indiana state senators who rejected his redistricting plan. Next Tuesday, U.S. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky will face a Trump-backed challenger, Ed Gallrein, in another Republican primary. Massie angered Trump by opposing his tax legislation, pushing for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, and opposing his decision to go to war with Iran.
After Cassidy's defeat, Trump took to social media to label Massie as "a major Sleazebag" and encouraged voters to "get this LOSER out of politics in Tuesday’s Election."
Intraparty Turmoil and Midterm Elections
This period of intraparty turmoil comes as Republicans face the possibility of losing control of Congress in November's midterm elections. The runoff between Letlow and Fleming, a former U.S. House member and Trump administration official, will likely determine Louisiana's next senator due to the state's Republican leanings.
On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis advanced to a runoff, but the second spot remained too close to call between Nicholas Albares and Gary Crockett.
Election Changes Stir Concern
The election was complicated by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that affected how congressional maps are drawn. Although the Senate primary proceeded, Louisiana leaders decided to delay House primaries until a future date to allow for redrawing district lines. This shift raised concerns about confusion for voters on Saturday.
Cassidy criticized the new primary system, which required voters to request a partisan ballot instead of the previous all-party primary. He claimed that some voters called his office saying they were unable to vote for him.
Dadrius Lanus, executive director of the state Democratic Party, noted that hundreds of calls were received from voters who felt the changes undermined their ability to vote as planned.
“A lot of the information should have gotten to voters well in advance,” Lanus said. “It’s literally been a whirlwind of confusion.”
Incumbent Senator Tried to Hang On
Cassidy ran an aggressive campaign to convince voters he should not be counted out. His campaign was expected to spend roughly $9.6 million on advertising through May 16, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. Louisiana Freedom Fund, a super PAC supporting him, was on track to spend $12.3 million.
Letlow’s campaign, which launched in January, spent roughly $3.9 million, while a super PAC backing her, the Accountability Project, spent about $6 million. Fleming's campaign spent about $1.5 million.
Cassidy and Louisiana Freedom Fund ran ads attacking Letlow for supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which Trump has tried to eliminate.
Targeted by Trump
Cassidy's vote in favor of convicting the president after his 2021 impeachment has followed him since. John Martin, a 68-year-old retired engineer in south Louisiana, said he would vote for Letlow because he was still upset by Cassidy's decision. He waved a campaign flyer showing her standing alongside the president.
“I know a lot more about Cassidy than I do about her,” Martin said. “But if she’s endorsed by Trump, I’m going to believe that.”
Cassidy avoided Trump’s ire last year by supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services despite his public reservations about the nominee’s anti-vaccine views. However, as chair of the Senate health committee, Cassidy has been more publicly critical of Kennedy, including over funding cuts for vaccine development.
Trump also blamed Cassidy for the failed nomination of his second choice for surgeon general, Casey Means, who raised doubts about vaccinating newborns for hepatitis B, a practice Cassidy supports. Trump withdrew the Means nomination and criticized the senator.
Letlow Waited for Trump's Backing
Letlow considered running for Senate last year but only entered the race after Trump announced his endorsement in January. By that time, Fleming, who was elected treasurer in 2023, had already jumped in and pitched himself as a Trump devotee. However, Landry was looking for a better-known challenger and suggested Letlow to the president.
Letlow had an unconventional and tragic entry into politics. In 2020, while she was a college administrator, her husband Luke was elected to the U.S. House but died of COVID-19 before he could be sworn in. Letlow ran for and won the seat in a March 2021 special election and was reelected in 2022 and 2024.
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