politics
Julia Letlow defeats John Fleming to win Republican U.S. Senate nomination in Louisiana
Letlow defeated state Treasurer John Fleming in a June 28 runoff to claim the GOP nomination. She had led the May 16 primary with nearly 45 percent of the vote ahead of Fleming and Sen. Bill Cassidy.
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U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Louisiana on Saturday after defeating state Treasurer John Fleming in a runoff. Letlow finished first in the May 16 primary with nearly 45 percent of the vote.
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Fleming received about 28 percent and Sen. Bill Cassidy received nearly 25 percent, sending the top two candidates into the runoff. A super PAC supporting Letlow spent $4.1 million on advertising in the six weeks after the primary, according to AdImpact.
Letlow's campaign and Fleming's campaign each spent roughly $1 million on ads after the primary. Letlow received endorsements from President Trump, Gov. Jeff Landry and U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
Fleming, a founder of the House Freedom Caucus who served in President Trump's first administration and did not resign after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, reminded voters of that record. Fleming attacked Letlow over past support for diversity, equity and inclusion policies and shared an AI-generated video that purported to show her defending those policies.
Letlow condemned the video as "disgraceful and indefensible," particularly for referencing her late husband. Letlow has pledged to work with President Trump on his agenda and supports national legislation barring transgender women and girls from school sports. Fleming opposed carbon capture and sequestration projects, arguing they infringe on property rights.
"I am so filled with gratitude for the greatest president this country has every had, Donald J. Trump," Letlow told supporters at her election night watch party in Baton Rouge. " In the Democratic primary, crop farmer Jamie Davis defeated Navy veteran Gary Crockett.
Letlow is the favorite to succeed Cassidy in November in a state President Trump carried by 22 percentage points in 2024. If elected, she would become Louisiana's first female Republican senator.
