Louisiana Republican primary voters denied Sen. Bill Cassidy a third term on Saturday, as the incumbent finished third behind Rep. Julia Letlow and State Treasurer John Fleming. The two challengers will face each other in a June 27 runoff after neither secured a majority. With most votes counted, Letlow led with approximately 44.8% and Fleming followed at 28.4%.
Trump actively campaigned against Cassidy throughout the primary, endorsing Letlow and urging voters to reject the senator who voted to convict him during the January 6 impeachment trial. Despite backing from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Cassidy could not overcome the political fallout from his 2021 vote.
Louisiana's adoption of a closed-primary system for this election may have further disadvantaged Cassidy, limiting participation to registered Republicans. The race drew national attention as a test of Trump's ability to unseat incumbent senators who had broken with him on key votes.
Letlow called Trump's endorsement "the honor of a lifetime" in her victory speech Saturday night, crediting his support for her strong showing. The June 27 runoff will determine who represents Louisiana in the Senate, with Letlow entering as the frontrunner backed by Trump's political operation.