Baton Rouge (Louisiana, U.S.), May 17 (LaPresse/AP) – Senator Bill Cassidy suffered a decisive defeat in the Republican primary in Louisiana, failing to convince voters that he deserved another term five years after the vote in which he supported the conviction of President Donald Trump during the impeachment trial related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He finished behind Representative Julia Letlow, who capitalized on the power of Trump’s endorsement as the president continues to purge his party of those he considers disloyal, and John Fleming, the state treasurer. Letlow and Fleming will face off in a runoff on June 27. The result was the latest example of Trump’s unparalleled power over the Republican Party as he nears the end of his second term amid persistent inflation, falling approval ratings, and dissatisfaction over the war with Iran. Unlike other senators who have declined to seek reelection after clashing with Trump, Cassidy pushed hard for reelection and spent nearly twice as much as his opponents combined. But none of that was enough for Cassidy to make it to the runoff. “Our country does not revolve around a single individual,” he told supporters after the defeat. “It’s about the well-being of all Americans, and it’s about the Constitution.” Letlow, on the other hand, immediately acknowledged Trump’s central role when she spoke at the victory party. “I want to thank a very special man whom you all know, the best president this country has ever had, President Donald Trump,” she said, flanked by her two young children. When asked about Cassidy’s vote in the impeachment trial, Letlow called it “a sign that he had turned his back on Louisiana voters.”
U.S.: Bill Cassidy Loses Republican Senate Primary in Louisiana
Baton Rouge (Louisiana, U.S.), May 17 (LaPresse/AP) – Senator Bill Cassidy suffered a decisive defeat in the Republican primary in Louisiana, failing to convince voters that he deserved another term five years after the vote in which he supported the conviction of President Donald Trump during the impeachment trial related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He finished behind Representative Julia Letlow, who capitalized on the power of Trump’s endorsement as the president continues to purge his party of those he considers disloyal, and John Fleming, the state treasurer. Letlow and Fleming will face off in a runoff on June 27. The result was the latest example of Trump’s unparalleled power over the Republican Party as he nears the end of his second term amid persistent inflation, falling approval ratings, and dissatisfaction over the war with Iran. Unlike other senators who have declined to seek reelection after clashing with Trump, Cassidy pushed hard for reelection and spent nearly twice as much as his opponents combined. But none of that was enough for Cassidy to make it to the runoff. “Our country does not revolve around a single individual,” he told supporters after the defeat. “It’s about the well-being of all Americans, and it’s about the Constitution.” Letlow, on the other hand, immediately acknowledged Trump’s central role when she spoke at the victory party. “I want to thank a very special man whom you all know, the best president this country has ever had, President Donald Trump,” she said, flanked by her two young children. When asked about Cassidy’s vote in the impeachment trial, Letlow called it “a sign that he had turned his back on Louisiana voters.”
