UMVA has learned that a major upset in the Louisiana Senate primary has seen Sen. Bill Cassidy fall short of advancing to a runoff, marking the end to his hopes for reelection.
The result is a significant blow to Cassidy, who had been one of the few Senate Republicans to vote in favor of convicting President Donald Trump during the January 6 Capitol protest impeachment trial.
Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow and Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming are now poised to face each other in the June 27 runoff after no candidate secured the majority needed to avoid a head-to-head showdown.
Cassidy's defeat comes as no surprise, as the 2021 impeachment vote had become a defining moment in his national reputation.
The senator had been one of seven Republican senators to support conviction, and one of only three still serving in office.
Trump's endorsement of Letlow and Fleming was a crucial factor in their success, with the president warning Louisiana voters that Cassidy was "BAD FOR LOUISIANA" in a Truth Social post ahead of the election.
Despite having the backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Cassidy's campaign was unable to overcome the conservative base's lingering resentment towards him for his impeachment vote.
Letlow built her campaign around Trump's endorsement and argued that Louisiana needed a senator aligned with the president's America First agenda, while Fleming, a former congressman and Trump administration official, aggressively courted conservative voters.
The result is a clear message to lawmakers across the Republican Party: those who side with Democrats against the voters who built the America First movement may eventually face consequences at the ballot box.
Trump celebrated Cassidy's political downfall in a blistering Truth Social post, calling the senator a "disloyal disaster" and praising Louisiana voters for delivering a "Big Victory."
