Trump-Backed Letlow Leads Louisiana Senate Primary, Cassidy Out

Louisiana Republicans delivered a clear signal on primary night that alignment with President Trump carries decisive weight in party contests. Incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy finished third and will not advance, leaving Representative Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming to compete in a June 27 runoff for the nomination in the solidly Republican state.

Associated Press tallies showed Letlow with roughly 45 percent, Fleming near 28 percent, and Cassidy at about 25 percent. No candidate reached a majority, triggering the runoff under state rules. Cassidy, a two-term senator and physician who chairs the Senate health committee, had drawn sustained criticism since his 2021 vote to convict Trump in the second impeachment trial.

Trump endorsed Letlow in January and renewed attacks on Cassidy the morning of the vote, calling him a “disloyal disaster” on Truth Social. Letlow thanked the president in her victory remarks and described Cassidy’s impeachment vote as a break with Louisiana voters. Fleming positioned himself as the stronger conservative alternative and received a late endorsement mention from Trump as well.

Cassidy conceded without directly naming Trump but warned against leaders who demand personal loyalty over the public interest. He noted that his recent legislative record included bills signed by the president, yet those efforts did not offset earlier breaks on impeachment and certain health-policy nominations. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry endorsed Letlow and supported changes to the state’s primary system that limited crossover voting.

The outcome leaves two remaining Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in 2021: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. Letlow enters the runoff with the president’s backing and the governor’s support, while Fleming seeks to consolidate voters who view him as more consistently aligned with Trump priorities.