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◆ Mixed look for TrumpVoting RightsElections / Campaigns

Trump's drive for political revenge faces a key test in Saturday's Louisiana Senate primary

Trump backed Letlow and publicly attacked Cassidy after Cassidy’s primary defeat.

Trump's drive for political revenge faces a key test in Saturday's 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.

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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 16, 2026
tl;dr

Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming advanced to a runoff after Sen. Bill Cassidy finished behind them in Louisiana’s Senate primary. The result tested President Donald Trump’s effort to defeat a Republican who had crossed him.

Community verdict

37 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 whose endorsement of Letlow and attacks on Cassidy shaped the primary

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Julia Letlow
R · LA-5

Louisiana representative and Senate candidate advancing to the runoff

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

Louisiana senator who finished behind both challengers in the primary

Cassidy's version of this story ↗
Thomas Massie
R · KY-4

Kentucky representative facing a primary challenge from Trump

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

Health secretary whose agenda and confirmation are discussed in relation to Cassidy

Louisiana treasurer and Senate candidate advancing to the runoff

Luther Strange
Former U.S. Senator (R-AL)

Former Alabama senator cited as a prior Republican primary defeat

ALSO MENTIONED  Casey Means, Trump’s former surgeon general nominee; Jeff Landry, Louisiana governor who backed Letlow and commented on the candidates

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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