Cassidy Defeated in Louisiana Republican Primary

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) finished third in the Louisiana Republican primary on May 16, 2026, failing to advance to a runoff election. Representative Julia Letlow and State Treasurer John Fleming will compete in a runoff on June 27, 2026.

Primary Results and Timeline

First Round (May 16, 2026)

• Julia Letlow: 38.1% to 45% of the vote (sources vary)
• John Fleming: 25.1% to 28% of the vote
• Bill Cassidy (incumbent): 20.9% to 25% of the vote

Since no candidate exceeded 50%, a runoff was triggered.

Runoff (June 27, 2026)

Letlow defeated Fleming in the runoff to win the Republican nomination. She is expected to be strongly favored in the November general election in Louisiana, a state where Trump won 60% of the vote in 2024.

Candidates

Julia Letlow

• U.S. Representative since 2021, currently serving nearly three terms in the House
• Serves on the Appropriations Committee
• First entered Congress in a 2021 special election following the death of her husband, Luke Letlow, who died of COVID-19 before being sworn in
• Received endorsements from former President Donald Trump, Governor Jeff Landry, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and Representative Clay Higgins
• Would become Louisiana's first female Republican senator if elected in November

John Fleming

• Louisiana State Treasurer and former U.S. Representative
• Founding member of the House Freedom Caucus
• Served in the first Trump administration as deputy chief of staff
• Positioned himself as a conservative ally of Trump

Bill Cassidy (Incumbent)

• Two-term U.S. Senator, chair of the Senate health committee
• One of seven Republican senators who voted to convict former President Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial in February 2021
• The Louisiana Republican Party censured him following the impeachment vote

Key Issues in the Campaign

The Impeachment Vote

Cassidy's 2021 vote to convict Trump was a central issue throughout the campaign. Trump publicly criticized Cassidy, calling him "a disloyal disaster" and stating his "political career is OVER."

In his concession speech, Cassidy said: "Our country is not about one individual. It is about the welfare of all Americans and it is about our Constitution."

Policy Positions

• Julia Letlow: Expressed support for Trump's "America First" agenda and supported eliminating the Senate filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act, a Trump-backed election law overhaul
• John Fleming: Expressed openness to eliminating the filibuster for the SAVE America Act but noted concerns about Democrats later using that rule change. He argued he is "far more conservative" than Letlow
• Bill Cassidy: Emphasized his legislative record on infrastructure, flood recovery, prescription drug costs, and fentanyl enforcement

Additional Issue

Fleming faced criticism from Representative Clay Higgins after sharing an AI-generated deepfake video of Letlow. Higgins called the video "nasty on another level." Fleming stated his campaign did not create the video and deleted the social media post.

Campaign Spending

Democratic Primary

Jamie Davis, a farmer, won the Democratic Senate nomination.

Context of the Primary

• Louisiana changed its primary system in 2024, requiring voters to request a partisan ballot. Cassidy criticized the new system as confusing to voters
• The primary was affected by a U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act, which led to delayed House primaries
• Cassidy is the first elected Republican senator to lose a primary since 2012
• Of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in 2021, four did not seek reelection. Senator Lisa Murkowski won reelection in 2022

Reactions

Former President Donald Trump

Trump stated on social media that Cassidy's "disloyalty" was "now a part of legend, and it's nice to see that his political career is OVER!" He referred to Letlow and Fleming as "two great people" and reiterated support for Letlow in the runoff.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

"You can disagree with President Trump, but if you try to destroy him, you're going to lose."

Senator John Kennedy (R-LA)

Called the loss predictable and thanked Cassidy for his service.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Expressed regret that Cassidy would not return to the Senate.

Bill Cassidy (Concession Speech)

"Our country is not about one individual. It is about the welfare of all Americans and it is about our Constitution."

He added: "You don't pout, you don't whine, you don't claim that the election was stolen... you don't manufacture some excuse."

Cassidy stated he did not regret his impeachment vote, saying he voted to uphold the Constitution. He hinted he may not run for office again, stating: "I respect democracy. So right now that door just seems to be shut."