Sen. Bill Cassidy was knocked out of Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary Saturday, finishing third behind Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming, according to AP.
The result delivers on Trump’s months-long drive to purge Cassidy, one of the few Republican senators who voted to convict him following the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump called Cassidy “a disloyal disaster” and “a terrible guy” on social media Saturday morning.
Letlow and Fleming will now face each other in a June 27 runoff for the GOP nomination, with the winner all but certain to win the November general election in the heavily Republican state. Trump endorsed Letlow in January, but Fleming generated enough support to force the second round despite the president’s backing of his opponent.
The race drew a combined roughly $33 million in campaign and super PAC spending, with Cassidy’s side alone accounting for more than $21 million. The heavy investment wasn’t enough to overcome the weight of a presidential endorsement in a state where Trump’s grip on Republican voters held firm.
A runoff date of June 27 is set; no further results were expected Saturday night.
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