Republican Sen. Cassidy loses Louisiana primary after opposing Trump

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) lost his Louisiana Republican primary Saturday, failing to advance to a runoff after years of criticism from supporters of former President Donald Trump over Cassidy’s 2021 vote to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial for the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

Cassidy finished third behind Rep. Julia Letlow and State Treasurer John Fleming, who will face each other in a June 27 runoff.

The result underscores Trump’s continued influence over the Republican Party as he targets perceived disloyalty, even as he faces political pressure over inflation, falling approval ratings and criticism of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Cassidy was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump after the Capitol attack by Trump supporters seeking to overturn the 2020 election results. While several Republicans who broke with Trump chose not to seek reelection, Cassidy aggressively campaigned for a third six-year term and heavily outspent his rivals.

On the morning of the vote, Trump attacked Cassidy on social media, calling him “a disloyal disaster” and “a terrible guy.” Speaking after his defeat, Cassidy appeared to respond indirectly to Trump’s remarks. “Insults only bother me if they come from somebody of character and integrity,” he told supporters.

He added: “Our country is not about one individual. It is about the welfare of all Americans, and it is about the constitution.”

Letlow, meanwhile, embraced Trump’s backing during her victory speech. “I want to say thank you to a very special man, … the best president this country has ever had, President Donald Trump,” she said.

She later described Cassidy’s impeachment vote as evidence that he had “turned his back on Louisiana voters.” Trump celebrated Cassidy’s loss online, writing: “That’s what you get by voting to impeach an innocent man.”

The Louisiana race is the latest in a series of contests in which Trump has backed efforts to remove Republicans who opposed him. Earlier this month, several Indiana state senators were also defeated after rejecting Trump’s redistricting plan aimed at winning more U.S. House seats for Republicans.

Saturday’s elections also took place amid confusion after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling weakening part of the Voting Rights Act related to electoral district maps.

While the Senate primary went ahead as planned, Louisiana officials postponed primary elections for the U.S. House to redraw district boundaries. Civil rights groups challenged the delay, arguing it violates both the U.S. Constitution and the Louisiana Constitution.