Louisiana Senate Republican Primary Results

Updated on: May 17, 2026 / 11:31 AM EDT / CBS News

Washington — In the Louisiana Senate Republican primary, CBS News projects that Rep. Julia Letlow and Louisiana state Treasurer John Fleming have advanced to a runoff. They defeated incumbent GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy, 68, who had voted to convict President Trump during his impeachment trial following the Capitol attack in early 2021.

Despite Cassidy’s cooperation with the administration, the president endorsed Letlow in January, urging her to oppose Cassidy for the Senate seat. President Trump congratulated Letlow in a Truth Social post, praising her race performance.

Trump stated, “Letlow is a fantastic person and, after taking care of some additional business, will make a brilliant Senator for the Great People of Louisiana, a State that I love, helped make prosperous with my Energy Policies and everything else.” In another post, he criticized Cassidy for capitalizing on their alleged relationship and accused him of using misleading charges against Trump during his career.

In his speech following the primary, Cassidy emphasized that the country’s focus should be broader than a single person, highlighting the welfare and the Constitution’s importance. On the other hand, Letlow referred to Trump as “the best president this country has ever had” in her speech.

Julia Letlow, 45, made history in 2021 as the first Republican woman elected to represent Louisiana in Congress. Her election followed the death of her husband due to COVID-19 complications. Letlow criticized Cassidy as disloyal to the GOP, asserting that Louisiana deserves certainty in how its senator will vote under pressure.

CBS News projects that Letlow and Fleming advanced to the runoff vote. Fleming had a connection to the first Trump administration and asserted his identity as the sole conservative MAGA Republican in the race.

Although Cassidy voted to impeach Trump, he has had multiple disagreements with the administration regarding healthcare decisions, such as changes to infant vaccine schedules. Letlow labeled Cassidy as insufficiently conservative, while Cassidy pointed to Letlow’s past support of DEI programs in education.

The influence of President Trump remains significant, as demonstrated by his successful efforts to remove political adversaries within the Indiana Senate earlier this month. The National Republican Senatorial Committee backed Cassidy’s bid for a third term despite the president’s opposition.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised Cassidy’s tenure and stressed the role of voters in determining their representative. With Cassidy’s defeat, former GOP Sen. Mitt Romney expressed the Senate’s loss of a key contributor, highlighting Cassidy’s expertise and character.

On the Democratic front, CBS News projects that Jamie Davis, a third-generation farmer, won the nomination over Nick Albares, previously a policy advisor, and Navy veteran Gary Crockett. However, Louisiana remains primarily Republican, as evidenced by Trump’s 2024 victory and its pattern since 2008.

The Republican primary winner stands favored to secure the Senate seat in November’s general election. Louisiana’s Republican Governor Jeff Landry halted state House primaries following a Supreme Court decision earlier this month, although Senate primaries proceeded as scheduled.