Louisiana election live updates: Sen. Bill Cassidy loses primary as two candidates advance to runoff
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Cassidy, a two-term Republican senator, voted to convict Donald Trump on impeachment charges after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
What to know tonight
- CASSIDY LOSES: Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy loses his primary as Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming advance to a June 27 runoff.
- CASSIDY'S CHALLENGE: Cassidy had been staring down a potentially difficult primary since 2021, when he was one of seven GOP senators who voted to convict Donald Trump on impeachment charges. He has also sparred with the Trump administration and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccine policy and other public health issues in the last year-plus.
- THE FIELD: Trump endorsed Letlow in January, but Fleming has touted his own connections to the president.
Cassidy rips Trump without naming him in concession speech
While Cassidy did not explicitly mention Trump in his election night speech, he did appear to reference the president, especially Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
“When you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to. But you don’t pout, you don’t whine, you don’t claim the election was stolen, you don’t find a reason, you don’t manufacture some excuse,” Cassidy said. “You thank the voters for the privilege of representing the state or the country for as long as you’ve had that privilege, and that’s what I’m doing right now.”
“Let me just set the record straight, our country is not about one individual,” Cassidy later added. “It is about the welfare of all Americans, and it is about our Constitution. And it is the welfare of my people and my state and my country and our Constitution, to which I am loyal. And if someone doesn’t understand that, and attempts to control others through using the levers of power, they are about serving themselves. They’re not about serving us. And that person is not qualified to be a leader.”
Cassidy also noted that he has been “attacked on the internet.”
“Insults only bother me if they come from somebody of character and integrity, and I find that people of character and integrity don’t spend their time attacking people on the internet,” Cassidy said.
Sen. Bill Cassidy’s defeat shows the price of dissent in Trump’s Republican Party
Sen. Bill Cassidy’s primary loss tonight brings an end to a two-decade career in public office that was ultimately defined by tensions with President Donald Trump.
And when Republicans have tensions with Trump, the president usually wins.
Cassidy failed to advance in the Republican primary in Louisiana, as Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming are projected to face off in a June 27 runoff. The winner in the GOP contest will be the heavy favorite this fall in ruby-red Louisiana.
The result marks another trophy for Trump’s collection in his ongoing bid to oust Republicans perceived as disloyal to him.
Trump congratulates Letlow, celebrates Cassidy's political career being 'OVER'
Trump congratulated Letlow on a "fantastic race" tonight, calling the congresswoman a "spectacular person."
"Julia 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, and won six times in a row, including Primaries," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Minutes after that post went live, Trump posted again to celebrate Cassidy's loss.
"Bill Cassidy, after falsely using his 'relationship' with me during his political career, and winning Elections because of it, voted to impeach me on preposterous charges that were fake then, and now, are criminally insane!" Trump wrote in the post.
"His 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!" the post continued. "I’d like to thank the Great People of the State of Louisiana, and this Big Victory will only make me work even harder for your success, and all that comes with it."
Cassidy loses GOP primary in Louisiana, as two rivals advance to a runoff
Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict President Donald Trump on impeachment charges in 2021, has lost his Republican primary in Louisiana, as two challengers who had aligned with Trump advanced to a runoff.
Rep. Julia Letlow, who had Trump’s endorsement in the race, will face state Treasurer John Fleming in a June 27 primary runoff, NBC News projects.
Cassidy’s loss further cements Trump’s grip on the GOP as the president looks to exact revenge against Republicans who have crossed him in the past. And it also means another Republican who voted to convict Trump during his 2021 impeachment will not be returning to Congress next year.
Here's why Trump holds a grudge against Cassidy
Cassidy is in the fight of his political life today, trying to fend off two challengers, including one who has been endorsed by Trump.
Cassidy, who is seeking a third term in the Senate, has drawn the president’s ire several times over the years.
Nicholad Kamm / AFP via Getty Images file
In 2021, he was one of seven GOP senators who voted to convict Trump during his impeachment after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
The senator, who is a physician, has been vocally critical of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom he voted to confirm last year (but wavered on over Kennedy's stance on vaccines). Trump also blamed Cassidy, who serves as chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, after the nomination of his surgeon general pick, Casey Means, stalled.
In a TruthSocial post about Means weeks before Cassidy’s primary election, the president called the senator, “a very disloyal person.”
Letlow advances to GOP primary runoff as Fleming and Cassidy battle for second place
Letlow will compete in a Republican Senate primary runoff in Louisiana, NBC News projects. The question is whether she’ll face Cassidy or Fleming.
Letlow, who has Trump’s endorsement in the race, has a wide lead over Fleming and the incumbent, who are fighting for the second spot in a June 27 runoff, since no candidate is projected to get majority support.
Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
Letlow leading, but she would need a big boost to win outright
Votes cast on Saturday could further boost Letlow, but in order to win the nomination outright and avoid a primary runoff, Letlow would need to win 56% of the remaining vote, according to an analysis from the NBC News Decision Desk.
Trump’s supporters tend to cast their ballots in person on Election Day, which was also evident in Indiana's primaries earlier this month. Trump's preferred candidates challenging Indiana state lawmakers in primaries did especially well in the Election Day vote as they went on to their victories.
Where each candidate is doing best
Letlow is ahead in most parishes that have reported votes so far, but she's doing especially well in the northeast part of the state, where her congressional district is.
Fleming is also doing best in his old congressional district, leading in a handful of northwestern counties.
Cassidy's strength is in some of the big population centers in the southeastern part of Louisiana, as well as in the Baton Rouge area. But he's running third in most places.
Cassidy tells Fox he doesn't regret defying Trump on conviction vote
Cassidy stood by his vote to convict Trump in 2021 during an interview this evening, despite him facing the most difficult primary of his career in that vote's wake.
"You may go back and flagellate yourself over decisions in the past. I do not. I move on," Cassidy said in an interview on Fox News.
The senator added that he continues to work with the Trump administration even as the president has endorsed Letlow.
"Actually, after the president endorsed my opponent, his team called my office to work on judicial appointments," Cassidy said. "I’m not saying the president likes me. You don’t have to like somebody to work together for the good of our country and for the good of my state."
Cassidy said voters need to know this election "is about the future of our state."
"Do you want somebody who is focused and fixated on doing good for you, or doing well for themselves?" Cassidy said.
"I do good for my state, she's done pretty well for herself, vote for the person doing good for your state," the senator continued.
Cassidy trailing Letlow and Fleming in initial returns
Cassidy is trailing both Letlow and Fleming with about 15% of the expected vote in. Letlow is at 45%, followed by Fleming at 28% and Cassidy at 24% with more than 43,000 votes counted so far.
If no candidate wins a majority of the vote to win the primary outright, the top two vote-getters advance to June 27 runoff.
What's going on with redistricting and Louisiana's House races?
After the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais and Louisiana’s subsequent decision to suspend their House primary elections while state officials draw a new map, lawmakers there earlier this week advanced a new congressional district map that would give Republicans the advantage in one additional House district.
Currently, Louisiana’s House district map includes four GOP members of Congress and two Democratic members of Congress. The new map would grant the state a GOP advantage in five House district, leaving Democrats the advantage in just one.
The proposed map still needs full approval from the state Senate and the state House to go into effect.
Polls close in Louisiana
Polls closed at 9 p.m. ET in Louisiana — soon, we'll see how Cassidy and his challengers are faring as the state starts to tally votes.
A polling location at the East Bank Regional Library in Metairie, La. on Saturday. Wayan Barre / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Cassidy brushes off Trump criticisms in campaign stop
At a seafood restaurant in Baton Rouge, Cassidy asked Louisianans face-to-face for their vote in today’s Republican primary election.
He worked the room with a non-alcoholic beer in tow — shaking hands and making his signature joke: if you’re voting for him, the election is today, and if you’re voting for someone else, keep drinking and get a hotel room to “sleep it off.”
Asked by reporters about Trump calling him a “sleazebag” and a “disloyal disaster” on social media this morning, Cassidy said, “He’s not a voter in Louisiana. I’ve got to be concerned about my state.”
The two-term senator again criticized Landry for changing state primaries from “jungle” all-party races to more traditional party primaries ahead of Cassidy’s race. He asserted that the closed primary system is making it more difficult for unaffiliated voters to vote for him.
“Voters are confused,” Cassidy said as he showed reporters texts from his personal phone. “This is coming to my phone because think of how many people have my phone relative to those voting. And I’m getting these messages.”
Cassidy said he feels “really good” about tonight, and will “take whoever comes” between his primary opponents, Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming, in a possible runoff.
Fleming blames Landry for orchestrating Trump's Letlow endorsement
Fleming told attendees at his election eve rally that he is the “sole conservative” in today’s primary race against Cassidy and Letlow.
Fleming, who served as Trump’s deputy chief of staff during his first term, said the president did not endorse him because he was “under the control” of Landry, the first-term governor who is also backing Letlow.
Wayan Barre / Bloomberg via Getty Images
“I don’t think he wants to admit he was wrong about it,” Fleming said of Trump throwing his support behind Letlow. “Why would he endorse her and not someone like me? Because it’s a little embarrassing, right?” he added.
Fleming slammed Cassidy for his vote to convict Trump during the post-Jan. 6 impeachment trial, warning that Cassidy would turn on Trump again if re-elected.
But most of Fleming’s focus was on Letlow, who he criticized for her past support of diversity, equity, and inclusion, her late disclosure of personal stock trades, and what he called her “weak” campaign platform.
“I do feel confident that I will be in the runoff,” Fleming told NBC News before the event. “Either Letlow or Cassidy, I’m happy to take on either one of them.”
Trump slams Cassidy on Truth Social on Election Day morning
In a post on Truth Social this morning, the president reiterated his support for Cassidy's challenger, Rep. Julia Letlow, and called the incumbent Louisiana senator "disloyal."
"Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is a disloyal disaster. His entire past campaign for the Senate was about 'TRUMP,' how he’s with me all the way, and then, after winning, he turned around and voted to IMPEACH me for something that has now proven to be total “bullshit!” Trump wrote, citing Cassidy's 2021 impeachment conviction vote.
Trump added this morning, "He knew that at the time, but didn’t care. Bill Cassidy is a sleazebag, a terrible guy, who is BAD FOR LOUISIANA. Now he’s going to get CLOBBERED, hopefully, in today’s BIG election, by two great people!!! VOTE TODAY FOR JULIA L. She Is a winner who will NEVER let you down."
Louisiana voters weigh in on Senate primary
Multiple Louisiana voters who cast ballots in the GOP primary at a Baton Rouge polling place Saturday described themselves as voting for or against Cassidy, rather than in support of another candidate. And those voting against Cassidy zeroed in on his vote to convict Trump's during the Jan. 6 impeachment trial.
“He tried to impeach Trump, and Trump helped him get elected. That’s pretty low,” said Elias Jacob FaKouri, who backed Fleming. “It is time for him to go. I mean, until he did that, I didn’t know any better, and yes, I voted for him, but since I’ve seen that, no.”
Asked if he felt Cassidy betrayed the president, Jason Fontenot, another Fleming supporter, said, “So much so that I’m here to vote him out more than to vote someone in.”
“You don’t go side with the other Democrats, and you think you’re gonna be politically good in the future, and think that’s gonna be okay for us to let you back in here in Louisiana,” he added.
Election commissioners preparing voting equipment at a polling location in New Orleans on Saturday. Wayan Barre / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Those supporting Cassidy praised the two-term senator for making “independent decisions” rather than toeing the party line.
“It shows that he’s less influenced by a party, which I like,” said Donny Gutierrez. “I think we need a lot more of that.”
“It’s important to have members of a party that are willing to stand up to leadership, so that a party does not conform to national interests only and actually represent the state,” Matthew Mueller said.
Cassidy faces a primary for the first time since his Trump impeachment vote
Cassidy’s political career is at stake on Saturday as Louisiana voters weigh in on the Republican for the first time since he voted to convict President Donald Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial.
Cassidy acknowledged in an interview with NBC News last month that his impeachment vote “might” be a liability in the race. But he insisted he works well with Trump and highlighted his record of getting legislation passed and signed into law, drawing a contrast with his opponents. He also has the backing of Senate GOP leadership.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., in Baton Rouge earlier this month. Tyler Kaufman / Getty Images
What happened to today's House primary elections?
Louisiana last month decided to delay House primary elections, which would have been held today.
The decision to postpone the primaries came in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which struck down the current congressional district lines in the state. Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry said that suspending the primaries would allow state lawmakers to take time to redraw the congressional district maps.
The court’s decision struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act that were used to draw some congressional districts across the South where Black voters could elect their candidate of choice.
Multiple states, including Alabama and Louisiana, have said they’ll redraw their congressional district lines in ways that could benefit Republicans in November’s midterms and future elections.
Who is Rep. Julia Letlow, Trump’s endorsed candidate against a sitting GOP senator?
Amid the president’s ongoing feud with Cassidy, Trump has endorsed one of his opponents in today’s Republican primary.
Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
Letlow was first elected to the House in 2021, succeeding her husband, who died of Covid before he was sworn into office. She’s repeatedly touted her endorsement from Trump in TV ads leading up to Election Day, attacking Cassidy and a third candidate in the primary — state treasurer John Fleming — as “never Trumpers.”
The presence of three candidates in today’s primary could mean that none of them wins a majority of the votes today. In that case, the top two performing candidates will head to a runoff on June 27. The winner of the runoff will be the GOP nominee for Senate in November’s general election.
What time do polls close?
Polls close in Louisiana at 9 p.m. ET tonight.
