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◆ Mixed look for TrumpHealthcareElections / Campaigns

Sen. Bill Cassidy loses Louisiana GOP primary to Trump-backed Letlow and Fleming

Trump backed Letlow, attacked Cassidy and treated Cassidy’s defeat as a political victory.

Sen. Bill Cassidy loses Louisiana GOP primary to Trump-backed Letlow and Fleming
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This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026
Fox News
May 16, 2026
tl;dr

Bill Cassidy finished third in Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary, while Julia Letlow and John Fleming advanced to a runoff. The result ended Cassidy’s bid for renomination and marked a victory for Donald Trump’s endorsement in the race.

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Donald Trump R · President of the United States
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Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President whose endorsement and attacks featured in the Republican primary

PRIMARY SUBJECT

Louisiana treasurer and Republican Senate candidate who advanced to the runoff

Fleming's version of this story ↗
Bill Cassidy
R · LA · SEN

Incumbent senator who finished third in Louisiana’s Republican primary

Cassidy's version of this story ↗
Julia Letlow
R · LA-5

Representative and Republican Senate candidate who advanced to the runoff

Letlow's version of this story ↗

Former president mentioned in the account of the 2021 impeachment trial

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
R · Secretary of Health and Human Services

Health and Human Services secretary whose confirmation Cassidy supported

Julia Letlow’s husband, who won the House seat she later held

ALSO MENTIONED  Casey Means, Surgeon general nominee and ally of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; Jeff Landry, Louisiana governor who backed Letlow; Richard Lugar, Former Indiana senator cited as the previous elected Republican senator to lose renomination

Part of a bigger story

45 OUTLETS
Bill Cassidy Loses Louisiana Republican Primary

Bill Cassidy finished third and was eliminated from Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary; Julia Letlow and John Fleming advanced to a runoff. Donald Trump backed Letlow and campaigned against Cassidy. Left-leaning outlets link Cassidy’s defeat to Trump’s campaign against him and Cassidy’s conflicts with the administration. Center outlets mostly treat the result as a test of Trump’s influence, while also reporting the race and, in some coverage, Louisiana election concerns. Right-leaning outlets emphasize Trump’s backing of Letlow as a political win and portray Cassidy’s defeat as a rebuke of his opposition to Trump.

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