President Donald Trump continues to eliminate his political adversaries within the GOP. On Saturday, Sen. Bill Cassidy became the latest casualty.
This development serves as a stark warning to any Republicans who have drawn the president’s ire: Trump’s campaign for retribution has already galvanized voters in Indiana, where he successfully removed several state GOP senators over redistricting, and on Saturday night in Louisiana. The upcoming primaries on Tuesday in Georgia and Kentucky, where Rep. Thomas Massie is seeking reelection and Trump has taken sides in the open Senate race, will be another test of his influence, as the president enters these races with momentum.
Cassidy’s poor third-place result concludes his Senate tenure, which was jeopardized by his vote to convict Trump on impeachment charges tied to the Jan. 6 insurrection five years ago.
This decision alienated him from Louisiana’s staunchly conservative base, paving the way for two strong primary challengers: Rep. Julia Letlow, endorsed by Trump, and MAGA-aligned state Treasurer John Fleming. Until the polls closed, Cassidy believed that his substantial campaign funds, his congressional record, and high turnout from non-party voters would secure his position.
Ultimately, it did not.
“For a man with such a formidable intellect, his political strategy was breathtakingly dense,” remarked Lionel Rainey, a Louisiana GOP strategist unaffiliated with any of the campaigns. “History will remember Bill Cassidy as the absolute smartest guy in the political morgue.”
Letlow, buoyed by Trump’s endorsement, advanced to a runoff with a commanding lead over Fleming, demonstrating that Trump’s support remains crucial for Republican voters and can elevate a candidate with initially low name recognition and fundraising capabilities.
Trump announced online on Saturday night that Cassidy’s “disloyalty to the man who got him elected is now a part of legend, and it’s nice to see that his political career is OVER!”
As Cassidy addressed his supporters in Baton Rouge to concede and express gratitude, he appeared to take multiple jabs at Trump, possibly hinting at an adversarial stance toward the White House during his remaining time as a senator.
“Insults only bother me if they come from somebody of character and integrity. I find that people of character and integrity don’t spend their time attacking people on the internet,” he remarked, taking apparent swipes at Trump for refusing to acknowledge his 2020 election loss and asserting that “leaders should think through the consequences of their actions.”
Cassidy’s newly critical stance toward the president following his defeat suggests he could quickly become a challenge for the White House. He has already blocked several White House appointees and continues to chair the influential Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Without the need to appease the president, he might emulate retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and resist aligning with certain key votes—an important factor in a closely divided Senate.
Throughout the campaign, Cassidy attempted to portray Letlow as insufficiently conservative, labeling her “Liberal Letlow” and criticizing her for previous support of diversity initiatives in higher education. However, these attacks failed to gain traction.
Trump did not use his own MAGA Inc. funds or make personal appearances on the campaign trail to support Letlow, but she still benefited from some of his allies. The Make America Healthy Again PAC committed $1 million to her campaign, frustrated by Cassidy’s skepticism regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s potential appointment as Health and Human Services secretary. These frustrations intensified when Cassidy blocked Casey Means’ nomination as U.S. Surgeon General, which the White House subsequently withdrew.
Cassidy’s survival efforts were further hampered by the emergence of Fleming, a former Freedom Caucus member who claimed he was the race’s most conservative candidate. In the final hours, Fleming received a commendation from Trump, who posted earlier Saturday that Cassidy must be “CLOBBERED” by “two great people!!!”.
Letlow’s first-place victory is a triumph for Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who vigorously campaigned for her with his endorsement, urged major donors to support her, and played a role in closing Louisiana’s primary system—a move that disadvantaged Cassidy, who has historically drawn some Democratic voters.
The runoff, set for late June, presents a new challenge for the president’s base: Will they choose Letlow, the Trump-endorsed candidate, or Fleming, another MAGA contender who previously served as a White House aide under Trump? Pre-runoff polls indicated a tight race between the two, although Letlow led Fleming comfortably in the first round. The extended primary promises to be intense.
As the polls closed on Saturday evening, Trump had already started expanding his target list, singling out Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) for supporting Massie, who faces a challenging reelection battle in Kentucky against Trump-backed primary challenger Ed Gallrein. (Colorado’s filing deadline has already passed, making it unlikely that this threat will materialize in the current election.)
“Is anyone interested in running against Weak Minded Lauren Boebert in Colorado’s Fourth Congressional District?” he wrote on Truth Social. “Even though I long ago endorsed Boebert, if the right person came along, it would be my Honor to withdraw that Endorsement, and endorse a good and proper alternative.”
