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◆ Mixed look for TrumpVoting RightsElections / Campaigns

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump, loses his seat in Louisiana

Trump endorsed Letlow and criticized Cassidy as the Louisiana primary concluded.

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Host credibilityPublic Radio EastNOT RATED
This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

Credibility rates Public Radio East, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.

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Republished from NPR, with credit to the original publisher.

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76 stories · 89–90 · updated Oct 7, 2026

This is NPR's own score, and this article is credited to NPR. The host score in the Source Check is Public Radio East's.

Public Radio Eastvia NPR
May 17, 2026
tl;dr

Bill Cassidy lost Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary, leaving Julia Letlow and John Fleming to compete in a runoff. The report examines President Trump’s influence in the race and describes voter complaints about problems with primary ballots.

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37 VOTES
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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 criticism featured in the race

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Bill Cassidy
R · LA · SEN

Louisiana senator who lost the Republican primary

Cassidy's version of this story ↗

Louisiana Senate candidate advancing to the runoff

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

Louisiana representative and Senate runoff candidate

Letlow's version of this story ↗
ALSO MENTIONED  Dadrius Lanus, Louisiana Democratic Party executive director who described reported ballot denials; Jeff Landry, Louisiana governor who changed the timing of House races to allow congressional map redrawing

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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