Skip to main content
4 min read
◆ Mixed look for TrumpElections / Campaigns

GOP Senator Cassidy, Targeted by Trump, Loses Primary

Trump backed Letlow and celebrated Cassidy’s defeat after their past political clashes.

GOP Senator Cassidy, Targeted by Trump, Loses Primary
Image · The Daily Signal

SOURCE CHECK

TAP FOR WHY
Host credibilityThe Daily Signal57/100 MEDIUM
This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

Credibility rates The Daily Signal, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.

Republished with credit

Republished from Reuters, with credit to the original publisher.

Reuters95/100 HIGH

123 stories · 95–96 · updated Oct 6, 2026

This is Reuters's own score, and this article is credited to Reuters. The host score in the Source Check is The Daily Signal's.

The Daily Signalvia Reuters
May 17, 2026
tl;dr

Bill Cassidy lost Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary, while Trump-backed Julia Letlow and John Fleming advanced to a June runoff. The result leaves Cassidy’s seat contested between the runoff winner and Democratic nominee Jamie Davis.

Community verdict

27 VOTES
How does this story look for
Donald Trump R · President of the United States
● OPEN

People in this story

SWIPE →
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who endorsed Letlow and criticized Cassidy

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Julia Letlow
R · LA-5

Louisiana representative and Republican Senate candidate who advanced to the runoff

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

Louisiana senator who lost the Republican primary for re-election

Cassidy's version of this story ↗
Susan M. Collins
R · ME · SEN

Maine senator described as joining Cassidy and Murkowski in slowing Kennedy’s agenda

Lisa Murkowski
R · AK · SEN

Alaska senator described as joining Cassidy and Collins in slowing Kennedy’s agenda

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

Secretary of Health and Human Services whose nomination Cassidy supported

Democratic Senate candidate projected to win his party’s nomination

Louisiana treasurer and Republican Senate candidate who advanced to the runoff

Former Louisiana representative and Julia Letlow’s late husband

ALSO MENTIONED  Casey Means, Trump’s intended nominee for surgeon general; Mary Landrieu, Former Democratic Louisiana senator defeated by Cassidy in 2014; Nicole Saphier, Radiologist and Fox News contributor Trump selected as another surgeon general pick; Richard Lugar, Former Republican senator cited as the previous incumbent 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.

Discussion · 0

What's your take?

Loading comments…