Trump's Picks Surge: Letlow and Fleming Knock Out Cassidy in Louisiana Senate Showdown

BATON ROUGE, La. — U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow is charging into a runoff for Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary, riding high on President Donald Trump’s endorsement like a rocket. She’s not just playing the game; she’s rewriting the rules, aiming to purge the GOP of those deemed disloyal. Joining her in this political showdown is State Treasurer John Fleming, who snagged second place.

Letlow’s rise comes at the expense of incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy, who dared to cross Trump by voting to convict him during his second impeachment trial following the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Cassidy, a physician, has also tangled with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policies, despite having previously supported Kennedy’s confirmation.

With neither Letlow nor Fleming clinching 50% of the vote, they’re headed for a runoff on June 27. The winner is almost guaranteed to dominate the November general election, given Louisiana's Republican stronghold.

Trump has been on a mission to unseat Cassidy, one of the few GOP senators who dared to stand against him during his impeachment saga. This primary is just one piece of Trump’s broader campaign to exact revenge on politicians who have crossed him. Just last week, he helped oust five Indiana state senators who rejected his redistricting plan.

Next up, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky faces off against Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein in another Republican primary. Massie has irked Trump by opposing his tax legislation and pushing for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

On social media, Trump didn’t hold back on Cassidy, labeling him “a disloyal disaster” and “a terrible guy.” Later, he celebrated Letlow’s performance: “Congratulations to Congresswoman Julia Letlow on a fantastic race, beating an Incumbent Senator by Record Setting Numbers.”

Voter sentiment is palpable. Jeanelle Chachere, a 66-year-old nurse, called Cassidy “a phony” and cast her vote for Letlow purely because of Trump’s backing. “I’m going by what he says because I like what he does,” she declared.

The election landscape was further complicated by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gutted parts of the Voting Rights Act affecting congressional map drawing. While the Senate primary rolls on, House primaries have been postponed to allow for redistricting, creating chaos for voters.

Mary-Patricia Wray, a political consultant in Louisiana, noted that this delay could hurt Cassidy by suppressing turnout among less fervent Trump supporters. “Suspending the congressional primaries hurts Cassidy,” she said. “Some people believe the Senate primary is canceled.”

Cassidy himself expressed frustration over the new primary system that requires voters to request a partisan ballot instead of the all-party primary previously in place. He claimed some constituents reached out saying they couldn’t vote for him due to confusion.

“The process that was set up was destined to be confusing,” Cassidy told reporters.

Dadrius Lanus, executive director of the state Democratic Party, reported an influx of calls from voters confused by the changes. “A lot of the information should have gotten to voters well in advance,” he lamented. “It’s literally been a whirlwind of confusion.”

Cassidy fought hard to convince voters he’s still a contender. Wray remarked, “Four months ago I would have told you it’s impossible for Cassidy to win this. I still think it’s statistically unlikely, but no longer impossible.”

Paul Begue, a 41-year-old agriculture worker in New Orleans, planned to vote for Cassidy but was turned off by Trump’s praise for Letlow’s loyalty. For him, that was “the final nail in the coffin.” “I don’t care about her loyalty to President Trump,” he stated. “I like elected officials that seem to make their own decisions.”

Cassidy’s campaign reportedly spent around $9.6 million on advertising through mid-May, while the Louisiana Freedom Fund super PAC supporting him was set to drop $12.3 million. In contrast, Letlow’s campaign launched in January with a budget of about $3.9 million and backing from the Accountability Project super PAC spending around $6 million.

Cassidy and his supporters launched ads attacking Letlow almost immediately after she entered the race, branding her as a progressive masquerading as a conservative due to her support for diversity and inclusion initiatives—anathema to Trump.

Letlow’s political journey began under tragic circumstances; her husband Luke was elected to Congress but died from COVID-19 before taking office. She won his seat in a special election in March 2021 and has since been reelected twice.

As this political drama unfolds, it’s clear that loyalty to Trump is the currency of power in today’s GOP landscape.