Skip to main content
8 min read
● 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

Letlow is Trump’s chosen challenger to Cassidy and has campaigned against Fleming as well as the incumbent.

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

TAP FOR WHY
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
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

SWIPE →
Julia Letlow
R · LA-5

Louisiana representative and Senate candidate endorsed by Trump

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 ↗
Bill Cassidy
R · LA · SEN

Louisiana senator and incumbent in the Republican primary

Cassidy'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

4 OUTLETS
Julia Letlow Advances to Louisiana Republican Senate Runoff

Julia Letlow advanced to a runoff against John Fleming after Bill Cassidy lost Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary. Left-leaning outlets center Cassidy’s defeat, his comments on election denial and political factors behind the result, including Trump’s endorsement of Letlow and Cassidy’s past impeachment vote. Center outlets focus more on Cassidy’s vulnerability and Trump’s role in the race, while also presenting Letlow’s advance as an unexpected political rise.

Discussion · 0

What's your take?

Loading comments…