Incumbent Cassidy Ousted: Louisiana Senate Primary Reshapes GOP Field

Louisiana voters ousted Senator Bill Cassidy in the May 18, 2026 primary. Julia Letlow and John Fleming will face off in the runoff.

#LouisianaPolitics, #SenateRace, #BillCassidy, #JuliaLetlow, #JohnFleming

https://newsletter.tf/bill-cassidy-out-louisiana-gop-senate-runoff/

Senator Bill Cassidy lost his bid for a third term, failing to make the June 27 runoff. This is a major change for the Louisiana Republican party.

#LouisianaPolitics, #SenateRace, #BillCassidy, #JuliaLetlow, #JohnFleming
https://newsletter.tf/bill-cassidy-out-louisiana-gop-senate-runoff/

Republican Senator Cassidy loses re-election to Trump retribution campaign

Two-term Republican Senator Bill Cassidy lost his bid for re-election in Louisiana's primary as Trump-backed challenger Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming advanced to a June runoff to choose the party's nominee after a closely fought battle. #News #Reuters #Newsfeed #world #USA #UnitedStates #Louisiana #senator #BillCassidy #DonaldTrump #politics #JuliaLetlow #JohnFleming Read the…

https://fllics.com/en/video/republican-senator-cassidy-loses-re-election-to-trump-retribution-campaign/

Julie Emerson jumps into U.S. Senate race, challenging Bill Cassidy

Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, is challenging Bill Cassidy for the U.S. Senate in 2026, she announced Monday. Emerson joins a crowded field of Republicans vying to knock off a vulnerable incumbent in Louisiana’s new closed party primary system.

Cassidy voted to convict President Donald Trump during his impeachment trial in 2021, outraging many in his own party. Here’s the list of declared challengers: 

• John Fleming, Louisiana State Treasurer
• Blake Miguez, Louisiana State Senator 
• Kathy Seiden, St. Tammany Parish Council Member 
• Eric Skrmetta, Public Service Commissioner 

Emerson, now 37, has gained some statewide notoriety since becoming chair of the House Ways and Means committee. She carried bills to overhaul Louisiana’s tax code and to direct public dollars to private school expenses, two popular initiatives among conservatives. 

UL is in dire financial straits. Losing $10 million on football a year isn’t helping.

In her Senate bid, Emerson is positioning herself as an optimist on the MAGA platform, leveraging her comparative youth to carve out a lane as a candidate of the future. Hers is a cheerier spin on Trump’s political brand, in contrast with fellow Acadiana-area candidate Sen. Blake Miguez, who came out guns blazing, literally, in his campaign announcement. 

The 2026 Senate election will feature closed party primaries. Voters will choose between party primary elections held by Democrats and Republicans, instead of the “jungle” primary system in place in Louisiana since the 1970s. Emerson carried the bill installing the closed party system for congressional elections, among others.