Cassidy Out—Trump Signal Lands Hard

Senator Bill Cassidy paid a steep price for voting to convict Donald Trump — and Louisiana Republicans just made sure the GOP knows it.

Story Snapshot

Cassidy finished third in the May primary with just 25% of the vote, becoming the first sitting senator to lose a primary since 2012.
Trump personally urged Julia Letlow to run, posting “RUN JULIA RUN!!!” in January 2026 and endorsing her before she even entered the race.
Letlow won the June 27 Republican runoff over former Trump White House official John Fleming, securing the GOP Senate nomination.
On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis won the party’s runoff to set up the general election matchup against Letlow.

Cassidy’s Fall: From Senator to Political Footnote

Bill Cassidy voted to convict Donald Trump after the January 6 Capitol riot. Louisiana Republicans never forgot it. In the May 16 primary, Cassidy pulled just 25% of the vote — a distant third behind Julia Letlow at 45% and John Fleming at 28%. That made him the first sitting U.S. senator to lose a primary election since 2012. It was a stunning fall for a two-term incumbent in his home state.

Trump moved early to make sure Cassidy had no path forward. In January 2026, Trump posted “RUN JULIA RUN!!!” on social media, pushing Letlow to challenge Cassidy before she had even announced. He endorsed her formally soon after and repeated that endorsement on June 12, right as early voting began for the runoff. Trump also called Cassidy “disloyal” — not just over the conviction vote, but also over Cassidy’s resistance to Trump’s picks for federal health posts.

Letlow vs. Fleming: A Battle of Trump Allies

Once Cassidy was out, the Republican runoff came down to two pro-Trump candidates. Letlow, a congresswoman from north Louisiana, carried Trump’s direct endorsement into the race. Fleming, a doctor and former congressman, had served as a deputy chief of staff in Trump’s first White House. Both candidates backed Trump’s agenda. The race was close early on election night, but Letlow pulled ahead and held on to win the Republican nomination.

With about 19% of votes counted, Letlow led Fleming 53.7% to 46.3%, according to early results from Decision Desk HQ. That lead held as more votes came in. The tight margin showed Fleming had real support among Louisiana Republicans — but Trump’s endorsement of Letlow proved to be the deciding edge. Louisiana Republicans had a clear choice between two Trump-aligned candidates, and they went with the one Trump picked.

Democrats Pick Their Nominee — But Face Long Odds

On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis won the party’s runoff over Gary Crockett. Decision Desk HQ called the race at 9:06 p.m. Eastern time. Davis will now face Letlow in the general election. Louisiana is a deep-red state, and Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate seat there in decades. Davis’s path to victory is extremely narrow. The real contest for this Senate seat was always on the Republican side.

DDHQ Race Update (est. 19% in): Louisiana US Senate Republican Runoff

Julia Letlow (R): 33,347 (53.7%)
John Fleming (R): 28,767 (46.3%)

Follow more results here:https://t.co/03vj9ZNHzN pic.twitter.com/nTgZrGkW7u

— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 28, 2026

This race is a clear signal to any Republican in Congress who crosses Trump: the base will come for you. Cassidy is not the first GOP lawmaker to face backlash for bucking the party’s direction, and he likely won’t be the last. Trump’s grip on Republican primary voters remains strong heading into the 2026 midterms. Letlow now enters the general election as a heavy favorite to flip this open seat and add another reliable Republican vote to the Senate — bringing the GOP’s total to 52 seats if she wins.