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● InformationalElections / Campaigns

This Republican says he's Trump's ally. He's getting in the way of Trump's revenge in a key Louisiana Senate primary

Cassidy is the incumbent Trump wants to defeat, and he has made Letlow the focus of his campaign attacks.

This Republican says he's Trump's ally. He's getting in the way of Trump's revenge in a key Louisiana Senate primary
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 with credit

Republished from CNN, with credit to the original publisher.

CNN85/100 HIGH

73 stories · 84–85 · updated Oct 7, 2026

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

Yahoo Newsvia CNN
May 15, 2026
tl;dr

John Fleming’s continued campaign against Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Julia Letlow is complicating President Donald Trump’s effort to oust Cassidy, making a runoff in Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary likely. The contest is also being watched as a test of Trump’s influence over Republican voters.

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 and incumbent in the Republican primary

PRIMARY SUBJECT

Louisiana Senate candidate challenging Bill Cassidy and Julia Letlow

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

President whose endorsement and effort to defeat Cassidy shape the primary

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

Louisiana representative and Senate candidate endorsed by Trump

Letlow's version of this story ↗
Mark Harris
R · NC-8

Cassidy campaign adviser who commented on Fleming’s campaign

Susan M. Collins
R · ME · SEN

Maine senator noted as one of the remaining Republicans who voted to convict Trump

Thomas Massie
R · KY-4

Kentucky representative mentioned as the subject of another test of Trump’s influence

John Thune
R · SD · SEN

Senate majority leader who backed Cassidy

Lisa Murkowski
R · AK · SEN

Alaska senator noted as one of the remaining Republicans who voted to convict Trump

Ralph Lee Abraham
Former U.S. Representative (R-LA)

Louisiana Republican and former CDC official whom Fleming says asked if he wanted to succeed him

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

Health and Human Services secretary whose nomination Cassidy voted to confirm

Julia Letlow’s late husband and former representative

ALSO MENTIONED  Casey Means, Trump’s surgeon general nominee whose nomination failed; Derek Babcock, Louisiana Republican Party chairman who confirmed Fleming fell short of the signatures needed for a party endorsement vote; Jeff Landry, Louisiana governor whom Fleming accused of limiting his access to Trump and influencing party endorsements; Marty Makary, FDA commissioner whose resignation Cassidy criticized

Part of a bigger story

55 OUTLETS
Bill Cassidy Finishes Third in Louisiana Republican Senate Primary

Outlets agree that Bill Cassidy finished third in Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary and will not advance, while Julia Letlow and John Fleming advance to a runoff. Left-leaning outlets frame the result mainly as part of Trump’s effort to oust Republicans who opposed him, often noting Cassidy’s criticism in his concession. Center outlets largely treat it as a test of Trump’s influence and report both his celebration and Cassidy’s response. Right-leaning outlets stress Cassidy’s break with Trump or voters’ rejection of his record, while some portray the result as evidence Trump’s endorsement still carries weight.

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