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◆ Mixed look for TrumpElections / Campaigns

Embattled Louisiana Sen. Cassidy Loses Primary as Trump-Backed Challenger and State Treasurer Head to a Runoff

Trump backed Letlow and congratulated her after she finished ahead of Cassidy.

Embattled Louisiana Sen. Cassidy Loses Primary as Trump-Backed Challenger and State Treasurer Head to a Runoff
Image · Yahoo News

SOURCE CHECK

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Host credibilityYahoo News76/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

Credibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.

Republished

Republished from TIME. The relationship between the two publishers has not been determined.

TIME84/100 HIGH

35 stories · 81–87 · updated Oct 7, 2026

This is TIME's own score, and this article is credited to TIME. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.

Yahoo Newsvia TIME
May 17, 2026
tl;dr

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy finished third in the Republican primary and will not advance, while Julia Letlow and John Fleming will compete in a runoff. The result ends Cassidy’s bid for a third Senate term and highlights President Donald Trump’s influence in the race.

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42 VOTES
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Donald Trump R · President of the United States
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People in this story

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Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who endorsed Letlow and congratulated her after the primary

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Bill Cassidy
R · LA · SEN

Louisiana senator who finished third in the Republican primary

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

Louisiana representative and Republican candidate advancing to the runoff

Letlow's version of this story ↗

Louisiana state treasurer and Republican Senate candidate advancing to the runoff

Fleming's version of this story ↗
John Thune
R · SD · SEN

Senate Majority Leader who backed Cassidy

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

Secretary of Health and Human Services whose nomination Cassidy discussed and ultimately supported

ALSO MENTIONED  Casey Means, Trump's nominee for U.S. surgeon general; Jeff Landry, Louisiana governor who supported Letlow

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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