Letlow's Primary Victory
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow wins Louisiana Republican Senate primary with Trump's endorsement
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U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow won Louisiana's Republican Senate nomination on June 27, 2026, defeating state Treasurer John Fleming in a runoff KTBS. The Trump-backed congresswoman is now the overwhelming favorite to become Louisiana's first female Republican senator in the November general election.
Letlow's win caps a months-long effort by President Trump to oust Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of seven GOP senators who voted to convict Trump after the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot The Hill. Trump called Cassidy a "disloyal disaster" and celebrated his May primary elimination on Truth Social: "His political career is OVER!" The Hill.
Cassidy Becomes First Ousted Senate Incumbent Since 2012
The race formally began when Trump endorsed Letlow on January 17, 2026, calling her a "TOTAL WINNER" on Truth Social Dayton Daily News. Three days later, Letlow called Cassidy to tell him she was running. Cassidy said he was confident he would win re-election.
On May 16, 2026, Louisiana held its first closed party primary for the Senate in over a decade. Letlow finished first with 44.8% of the vote. Fleming took second with 28.3%. Cassidy came in third at 24.8% and was eliminated Times Record News. Steve Kornacki of NBC News noted Cassidy was the first sitting senator to lose renomination since Richard Lugar in 2012.
Letlow Beat Fleming by Being Trump's Chosen Pick
Fleming is a former Trump White House official who tried to brand himself as the true grassroots conservative. But he never got Trump's endorsement. Letlow had it from day one, and that proved decisive Item Online.
In her victory remarks, Letlow called Trump "the best president this country has ever had" The Hill. She has pledged to work in "lockstep" with Trump on border security, reduced government spending, and law enforcement. Fleming had served as Trump's deputy chief of staff, yet the hand-picked endorsement of Letlow was impossible to overcome.
Cassidy's Concession Drew a Sharp Line on Leadership
After his May primary loss, Cassidy did not go quietly. He said "our country is not about one individual" and argued that leaders should be "steady, not erratic; thoughtful, not impulsive" Seacoast Online. His supporters saw his defeat as a punishment for putting the Constitution above party loyalty.
Cassidy had also clashed with the White House over HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s leadership. Letlow used those fights to brand Cassidy as "unreliable" Rutland Herald. Cassidy reportedly spent nearly double what his opponents spent combined — and still failed to make the runoff.
Letlow's Path to History Runs Through a Deep-Red State
Letlow first entered Congress in 2021 after her husband, Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, died from COVID-19 complications before taking office Lancaster Online. She became the first Republican woman to represent Louisiana in the House. A Senate win would make her the first Republican woman Louisiana has ever sent to the Senate.
Her general election opponent is Jamie Davis, a crop farmer from northeastern Louisiana who won the Democratic nomination with 47.4% of the vote Item Online. Louisiana has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 2008. The November 3, 2026 general election is widely seen as a formality for Letlow.
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