Key takeaways:
- Senator Bill Cassidy lost the Louisiana Republican primary, failing to advance to the runoff against Trump-backed candidates Julia Letlow and John Fleming.
- Cassidy was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Donald Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial, a move that contributed to his loss.
- Despite voting to confirm Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cassidy publicly criticized Kennedy for breaking promises to moderate his anti-vaccine agenda.
Senator Bill Cassidy’s two-decade political career ended Saturday when he failed to advance in Louisiana’s Republican primary, losing to Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming, who will face off in a June 27 runoff. The winner of the GOP contest is expected to be the favorite in the heavily Republican state this fall.
Cassidy’s defeat marks another victory for former President Donald Trump, who has successfully targeted Republicans perceived as disloyal. Cassidy’s defining break with Trump came in 2021 when he was one of seven Republican senators to vote to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial for inciting the January 6 insurrection. Cassidy stated after the vote, “Our Constitution and our country is more important than any one person. I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty.”
Despite this vote, Cassidy’s Senate record largely aligned with Trump’s agenda, including support for tax cuts and judicial nominees. However, his occasional moderate stances and public disagreements, such as his cautious approach to healthcare legislation and criticism of Department of Homeland Security enforcement practices, set him apart from the party’s Trump-aligned base.
Cassidy, a physician and chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, also clashed with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic. Cassidy voted to confirm Kennedy despite reservations, later publicly criticizing Kennedy for breaking promises to moderate his anti-vaccine stance.
Trump endorsed Letlow early in the race, urging her to run on social media. Letlow launched her campaign shortly after and secured enough votes to advance to the runoff against Fleming, another Trump ally. Cassidy received about 25 percent of the vote, ending his Senate tenure.
Cassidy was first elected to the Senate in 2014 after serving in the House and Louisiana state Senate. His loss underscores Trump’s strong influence over the Republican Party, where even mild ambivalence toward the former president can lead to electoral defeat. Only two other Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in 2021—Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska—remain in office.
Be First to Comment