Louisiana Republicans Vote in Senate Primary to Choose Nominee

U.S. Senate. Sen. Bill Cassidy seeks a third term while facing two challengers in a contest that could head to a June 27 runoff. The primary is the first under a closed-party system that replaced the state's former jungle primary format. Only voters registered as Republicans or choosing the Republican ballot as unaffiliated participants can cast ballots in the contest.

Candidates and Background Sen.

Bill Cassidy, 68, voted to convict President Trump during the 2021 impeachment trial after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. He has also publicly differed with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccine policy. Rep. Julia Letlow, 45, is the leading challenger.

-elect Luke Letlow, died from COVID-19 complications in December 2020. President Trump endorsed Letlow in January. State Treasurer John Fleming is also running. U.S. House and worked in the first Trump administration.

President Trump called Cassidy a "disloyal disaster" and "sleazebag" in a Truth Social post and said he hoped Cassidy would be "clobbered" by one of the challengers. Letlow has accused Cassidy of disloyalty to the party. Cassidy has countered that Letlow supported diversity, equity and inclusion programs in education in 2020.

He has the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. An Emerson College poll released last month showed Letlow and Fleming tied at 28 percent, with Cassidy at 27 percent and 22 percent of voters undecided.

Voting and Next Steps Polls close at 8 p.m. CDT Saturday.

If no candidate receives a majority, the top two advance to a June 27 runoff. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that Cassidy has been a "terrific senator for Louisiana" and that the NRSC supports incumbents while voters decide. Democratic candidates Nick Albares, Gary Crockett and Jamie Davis are competing for their party's nomination in a separate primary.