Sen. Bill Cassidy was defeated in Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary on Saturday, falling short of qualifying for a runoff five years after voting to convict President Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial over the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow and Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming advanced to a June 27 runoff after emerging as the top two Republican candidates in the race.
The outcome marked another victory for Trump as he continued targeting Republicans he views as disloyal while maintaining strong influence over the party ahead of the midterm elections.
Cassidy, who spent heavily on his reelection effort, acknowledged the defeat in remarks to supporters.
“Our country is not about one individual,” Cassidy said.
“It is about the welfare of all Americans, and it is about the Constitution.”
Letlow credited Trump’s endorsement as she celebrated her victory alongside her children.
“I want to say thank you to a very special man who you all know, the best president this country has ever had, President Donald Trump,” she said.
Trump repeatedly attacked Cassidy during the campaign, calling him “a disloyal disaster” and later posting online that his political career was “OVER.”
Letlow and Fleming both aligned themselves closely with Trump throughout the race, while Cassidy struggled to repair relations with the president despite supporting several administration priorities in recent years.
Cassidy’s 2021 impeachment vote remained a defining issue for many Republican voters in Louisiana.
Letlow argued the vote showed Cassidy had “turned his back on the Louisiana voters.”
The runoff between Letlow and Fleming is widely expected to determine Louisiana’s next senator because of the state’s Republican leanings.
The election also unfolded amid voter concerns over changes to Louisiana’s voting system and congressional maps.
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling affecting the Voting Rights Act prompted state leaders to delay House primaries while district lines are reconsidered.
Cassidy and state Democratic officials said the changes caused confusion among voters who were required to request partisan ballots under a new primary structure.
Democratic Party officials reported receiving hundreds of voter complaints about the revised process.
On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis advanced to a runoff, while the second runoff position remained too close to call.