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

Letlow advanced to the Senate runoff after receiving Trump’s endorsement.

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This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

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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

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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.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Julia Letlow R · LA-5
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

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

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

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Julia Letlow
R · LA-5

Louisiana representative and Senate runoff candidate

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 ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President whose endorsement and criticism featured in the race

Trump'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

43 OUTLETS
Julia Letlow Advances to Louisiana Senate Runoff

Julia Letlow and John Fleming advanced to a runoff in Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary, while Bill Cassidy finished third and did not advance. Letlow had President Trump’s endorsement. Center outlets emphasize the result and often present the race as a test of Trump’s influence, with Cassidy’s impeachment vote as context. Right-leaning outlets also stress Trump’s role but more often cast Cassidy’s loss as payback for that vote.

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