Republican Senator Bill Cassidy lost his bid for re-election in Louisiana’s Republican primary on Saturday, marking a major political victory for US President and his campaign against Republicans who opposed him.
Trump-backed Congresswoman Julia Letlow and Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming advanced to a June 27 runoff after Cassidy finished in third place in the closely contested three-way race.
Cassidy became the first elected US senator since 2012 to lose renomination in a primary election.
Trump celebrates Cassidy’s defeat
quickly celebrated the Louisiana result, portraying Cassidy’s defeat as retaliation for the senator’s vote to convict him during his 2021 impeachment trial following the January 6 Capitol attack.
“His disloyalty to the man who got him elected is now a part of legend, and it’s nice to see that his political career is OVER!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The President also praised Letlow after she secured first place in the primary.
Julia Letlow thanks voters and backs Trump agenda
Letlow, who entered Congress after winning a special election following the death of her husband Luke Letlow from COVID-19 complications in 2020, framed the result as a victory for Trump-aligned conservatives.
“THANK YOU, LOUISIANA!” Letlow wrote on X.
“Louisiana made it clear tonight: we are ready for strong conservative leadership that will stand with President Trump and never waver.”
“Because of your support, your prayers, and your belief in this campaign, we are one step closer to sending that leadership to the United States Senate.”
According to the Associated Press, Letlow led Fleming 45.2 percent to 28.3 percent with nearly all votes counted.
The runoff winner will likely face Democrat Jamie Davis in November’s general election in a state widely viewed as safely Republican.
Cassidy delivers concession speech
In his concession speech, Cassidy thanked Louisiana voters and appeared to indirectly criticize Trump’s political style.
“When you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to,” Cassidy said.
“But you don’t pout. You don’t whine.”
“You thank the voters for the privilege of representing the state or the country for as long as you’ve had that privilege.”
Cassidy served Louisiana in the US Senate for 12 years after previously serving in the Louisiana Senate and the US House of Representatives.
Impeachment vote triggered long-running feud
Cassidy’s relationship with Trump deteriorated after he became one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump during the President’s second impeachment trial in 2021.
He later called on Trump to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race following the classified documents indictment and declined to endorse him after he secured the Republican nomination.
Although Cassidy later supported confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary, tensions between the senator and Trump continued.
Cassidy later criticized Kennedy’s vaccine policies and joined Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski in slowing parts of Kennedy’s health agenda in Congress.
Trump retribution campaign gains momentum
The Louisiana primary was the latest example of Trump targeting Republicans viewed as insufficiently loyal.
Earlier this month, several Republican lawmakers in Indiana lost primary races after opposing Trump-backed congressional redistricting plans aimed at protecting the Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
Attention is now shifting to Kentucky, where , another Republican critic who has clashed with Trump on foreign policy and the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related government files.
Cassidy’s long political career comes to an end
Cassidy, a liver disease specialist by training, helped establish a Baton Rouge healthcare clinic serving low-income patients before entering politics.
He became the first Republican senator to win the Louisiana seat since 1883 when he defeated Democrat Mary Landrieu in 2014.
He later chaired the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and won re-election in 2020 with nearly 60 percent of the vote.
Former Republican Senator Richard Lugar was the last elected incumbent senator to lose renomination in a primary, in 2012.
