USA17 May, 20263 min read
Sen. Bill Cassidy Loses Louisiana GOP Primary as Trump-Backed Rep. Julia Letlow Advances
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Letlow wins Louisiana GOP primary, advances to runoff with Fleming; Cassidy eliminated. Letlow and Fleming advance to runoff in Louisiana Senate race.
Cassidy loses Louisiana GOP primary
Sen. Bill Cassidy lost Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary on Saturday, failing to qualify for a runoff in June as Rep. Julia Letlow and former Rep. John Fleming advanced, with Letlow leading with just over 44% of the vote and Cassidy at 24.8%.
“Cassidy came in at 24.8% of the vote.”
STAT said the runoff will be between state treasurer John Fleming and Rep. Julia Letlow, who won President Donald Trump’s endorsement, while MS NOW reported the two top finishers advanced to a run-off on June 27.
Mother Jones said Cassidy won only roughly 25 percent of the vote in a group led by President Donald Trump’s pick, Julia Letlow, and that the defeat was the first time an elected senator placed third or worse in a primary since 1944.
POLITICO framed the loss as a potential opening for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., noting that Kennedy’s nemesis Cassidy went down in his Louisiana primary and that the “cherry on top” would be if Kansas’ Roger Marshall replaces Cassidy next year as chair of the Health Committee.
Trump celebrates, Cassidy defends
MS NOW reported that Trump immediately celebrated Cassidy’s loss on Truth Social, accusing the senator of “falsely using his ‘relationship’ with me” and calling his impeachment support “preposterous charges that were fake then, and now, are criminally insane!”
In the same report, Cassidy said, “Insults only bother me if they come from somebody of character and integrity,” and added, “Our country is not about one individual.”
Mother Jones said Cassidy provided the deciding vote in favor of advancing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for health secretary in February 2025 and later faced criticism for refusing to acknowledge that he made a mistake by confirming RFK Jr.
STAT also said Cassidy later expressed concerns with anti-vaccine statements made by then-health secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before voting to confirm him, positioning the primary defeat as a win for Trump and allies who criticized Cassidy for voting in 2021 to convict the president for inciting the January 6 insurrection.
Health committee stakes and RFK
POLITICO said Sen. Roger Marshall is angling to replace Cassidy atop the Health Committee, describing Marshall as a doctor before he got into politics who told Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. he shares skepticism of the U.S. vaccine schedule.
POLITICO also said the chair of the Health Committee has the power to block some Health and Human Services Department nominees and that under Cassidy the panel never held votes on three nominees backed by Kennedy: former Florida GOP Rep. Dave Weldon and two Trump picks for surgeon general, MAHA supporters Janette Nesheiwat and Casey Means.
Mother Jones said Cassidy’s support for Kennedy’s nomination came with Cassidy’s floor speech line, “We need a leader at HHS who will guide President Trump’s agenda to Make America Healthy Again,” and quoted Cassidy saying Kennedy’s “assurances on vaccines” and platform would “get this done.”
STAT reported that Cassidy’s defeat is a win for President Trump and his allies, who criticized the senator for voting in 2021 to convict the president, while POLITICO warned Cassidy’s loss could backfire on Kennedy and MAHA allies if Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski were to take the top GOP slot.