Senator Bill Cassidy’s political career came to an unceremonious end Saturday evening in Baton Rouge, eliminated from Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary by two Trump-aligned challengers — the most dramatic consequence yet of his 2021 vote to convict the former president following the January 6 Capitol attack.

Rep. Julia Letlow, whom President Trump endorsed in January and publicly championed the morning of the election, led the field with approximately 45 percent of the vote. State Treasurer John Fleming came in second at 28 percent. Cassidy, a two-term incumbent who had raised more than $21 million for his re-election campaign, finished third with roughly 24 percent — eliminated entirely from what was supposed to be a competitive race for his own seat.

Letlow and Fleming will now advance to a runoff on June 27. Because Louisiana leans heavily Republican, the winner of that contest is widely expected to win the November general election. On the Democratic side, Rep. Jamie Davis led his primary with 47.8 percent but also fell short of an outright majority, setting up a separate Democratic runoff.

“Louisiana was not pleased with that vote. They took that as a sign that he had turned his back on the Louisiana voters.” — Rep. Julia Letlow, speaking to supporters Saturday night

Five Years of Trump’s Revenge

The outcome was the culmination of a vendetta that began when Cassidy became one of only seven Senate Republicans to vote to convict Trump at his second impeachment trial in February 2021. The Senate voted 57–43 to convict — well short of the two-thirds supermajority required — and Trump was acquitted. But the president never forgot.

The Louisiana Republican Party censured Cassidy within days. Trump vowed retaliation. Over the next five years, as Cassidy tried to navigate a strained relationship with the president while chairing the powerful Senate health committee, Trump continued to target him. When Letlow entered the race in January after Trump’s personal endorsement, most observers considered the outcome inevitable.

“Bill Cassidy is a sleazebag, a terrible guy, who is BAD FOR LOUISIANA,” Trump posted to social media the morning of the election. “Now he’s going to get CLOBBERED, hopefully, in today’s BIG election.” After results came in, Trump posted again: “Congratulations to Congresswoman Julia Letlow on a fantastic race, beating an Incumbent Senator by Record Setting Numbers.”

Key Facts at a Glance

  • Cassidy was one of only 7 Senate Republicans to vote to convict Trump in 2021 — just 3 still served in the Senate entering 2026.
  • Cassidy’s campaign and supporting super PACs spent over $21 million; Letlow’s campaign spent roughly $3.9 million.
  • Louisiana adopted a new closed primary system in 2025, eliminating the all-party primary that could have helped Cassidy with crossover voters.
  • The runoff is scheduled for June 27, 2026. The general election follows in November.
  • Only two other GOP senators who voted to convict Trump remain in office: Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Susan Collins (ME).

Letlow’s Rise and Fleming’s Persistence

Julia Letlow, 45, entered Congress through tragedy. Her husband Luke was elected to Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District in 2020 but died of Covid-19 complications before he was sworn in. She won a special election for his seat in March 2021 and has been re-elected twice since. She was considered a rising star in the state Republican Party, though she had a relatively low statewide profile before entering this race.

Letlow’s candidacy was the product of deliberate orchestration. Governor Jeff Landry, a Trump ally who endorsed her, reportedly suggested Letlow to the president as a preferred challenger. John Fleming — a former congressman and White House deputy chief of staff in the final months of Trump’s first term — was already in the race when Letlow entered, and his presence in the runoff now sets up a competitive second round.

Fleming, who served eight years in Congress before an unsuccessful Senate bid in 2017, has pitched himself as more closely aligned with Trump than Letlow. His campaign spent approximately $1.5 million — far less than his rivals — but his second-place finish keeps him alive for a final showdown in late June.

Cassidy’s Defiant Exit

Speaking to supporters in Baton Rouge after the result was known, Cassidy declined to name Trump but made clear he was not going quietly. “When you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to,” he said. “But you don’t pout. You don’t whine. You don’t claim that an election was stolen from you.”

He added: “Our country is not about one individual. It is about the welfare of all Americans, and it is about our Constitution.” And in a direct but veiled shot at the president: “Insults only bother me if they come from somebody of character and integrity.”

“When you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to. But you don’t pout. You don’t whine. You don’t claim that an election was stolen from you.” — Sen. Bill Cassidy, in his concession speech

The senator had spent months trying to demonstrate his value to Louisiana voters, pointing to legislation he sponsored that Trump later signed. “I don’t really think President Trump likes me that much, but we work really well together,” he told reporters days before the election. None of it was enough.

Vaccines, Kennedy, and a Lost Alliance

Cassidy’s efforts to mend fences with Trump extended to the controversial confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health Secretary — a vote that cost Cassidy credibility with moderates who had been potential crossover allies. As chair of the Senate health committee, Cassidy reluctantly backed Kennedy despite publicly opposing his anti-vaccine views, only to have Trump later blame Cassidy for the failed surgeon general nomination of Casey Means, whom Cassidy opposed over concerns about vaccine safety.

Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again movement became a potent force against Cassidy, investing heavily in his defeat. The alliance between Kennedy’s coalition and Trump’s MAGA base proved lethal to Cassidy’s chances.

Election Law Changes Scrambled the Landscape

Louisiana’s election landscape was also complicated by structural changes that disadvantaged Cassidy. The state adopted a closed primary system last year — championed by Governor Landry — requiring voters to request partisan ballots rather than participating in the previous all-party primary. Cassidy complained that the new system confused voters and suppressed his potential support among independents and crossover Democrats.

A separate Supreme Court ruling also led Louisiana to delay House primaries, which political consultants said may have depressed turnout among voters less energized by the Senate contest — the very voters who might have been most likely to back Cassidy.

What Comes Next: The Runoff and Beyond

The June 27 Republican runoff between Letlow and Fleming will determine who faces the Democratic nominee in November. Fleming is expected to press his case that he is the more authentic Trump loyalist, while Letlow has the backing of both Trump and the governor — a combination that will be difficult to overcome.

Cassidy’s defeat leaves just two Senate Republicans who voted to convict Trump still in office: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who survived a primary challenge in 2022, and Susan Collins of Maine, who faces her own difficult re-election battle. The result further consolidates Trump’s grip on the Republican Senate caucus.

The Louisiana primary is one of several contests this month in which Trump has sought retribution against Republicans who crossed him. On May 5, Trump-backed candidates unseated five of seven Indiana state senators who rejected his redistricting plan. On May 20, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky faces a Trump-backed challenger after opposing the president’s signature tax legislation.