Skip to main content
5 min read

Sen. Cassidy knocked out of Louisiana Republican primary as Trump-backed Letlow, Fleming make runoff

Cassidy lost his bid for another Senate term after a campaign shaped in part by his past impeachment vote.

Sen. Cassidy knocked out of Louisiana Republican primary as Trump-backed Letlow, Fleming make runoff
Image · Orlandosentinel

SOURCE CHECK

TAP FOR WHY
Outlet credibilityOrlandosentinel79/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

Credibility rates Orlandosentinel, where this article appeared. The other scores rate the article itself.

Cites Associated Press

This article cites Associated Press as its original publisher. ChamberLight has not verified that it is a republication, so the scores are Orlandosentinel's own.

Associated Press96/100 HIGH

459 stories · 96–97 · updated Oct 7, 2026

This is Associated Press's own score. The Source Check scores are for Orlandosentinel and this article.

Orlandosentinelcites Associated Press
May 17, 2026
tl;dr

Bill Cassidy lost Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary, while Julia Letlow and John Fleming advanced to a June 27 runoff. The result followed a campaign shaped by Donald Trump’s endorsement of Letlow and his attacks on Cassidy.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Bill Cassidy R · LA · SEN
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Cassidy in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Cassidy’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

SWIPE →
Bill Cassidy
R · LA · SEN

Louisiana senator defeated in the Republican primary

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Julia Letlow
R · LA-5

Louisiana representative and Republican Senate candidate who advanced to the runoff

Letlow's version of this story ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who endorsed Letlow and attacked Cassidy during the campaign

Trump's version of this story ↗

Louisiana Senate candidate who advanced to the Republican runoff

Fleming's version of this story ↗
Thomas Massie
R · KY-4

Kentucky representative facing a Trump-backed primary challenger

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

Secretary of Health and Human Services whose nomination Cassidy supported

Democratic Senate candidate who advanced to a runoff

Democratic Senate candidate whose place in a runoff remained too close to call

Democratic Senate candidate whose place in a runoff remained too close to call

Trump-backed challenger to Thomas Massie in Kentucky

Julia Letlow’s husband, elected to the House but deceased before taking office

ALSO MENTIONED  Casey Means, Trump’s second choice for surgeon general; Dadrius Lanus, Executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party; John Martin, Louisiana voter who said he planned to vote for Letlow; Landry, Louisiana political figure who suggested Letlow to Trump

Part of a bigger story

50 OUTLETS
Bill Cassidy Loses Louisiana Republican Senate Primary

Outlets agree that Bill Cassidy lost Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary and that Julia Letlow and John Fleming advanced to a runoff. Left-leaning outlets link the defeat to Cassidy’s breaks with Trump, with one article also relaying his campaign’s claim that changes to the primary process could restrict voting. Center outlets emphasize the result and Trump’s influence, while some also cover Cassidy’s concession or praise from Mitt Romney. Right-leaning outlets tie the loss to Cassidy’s impeachment vote and Trump’s intervention, and some frame it as a rebuke of Cassidy’s opposition to Trump.

Discussion · 0

What's your take?

Loading comments…