By Olivia Beavers and Anthony DeBarros

Sen. Bill Cassidy's run for re-election was cut short Saturday as voters heeded President Trump's call to oust the two-term Louisiana Republican, with the incumbent expected to finish third in the GOP primary and failing to qualify for the runoff this summer.

The outcome marks a dramatic end for Cassidy's decadeslong run in politics, with the result again showing the president's ability to make or break Republicans' careers -- despite slipping approval ratings and voter anxieties about the Iran war and the cost of living.

The Associated Press projected the top two vote getters were Rep. Julia Letlow, who was endorsed by Trump, and state Treasurer John Fleming. With no candidate exceeding 50%, Letlow and Fleming will advance to a June 27 runoff, the AP projected. Louisiana is considered a safe GOP seat, so the winner of the runoff is expected to have an easy path to victory in November.

Cassidy, who spent heavily on the race, became the first Republican senator to lose in a party primary this election cycle. He had faced an uphill battle to keep his seat, more than five years after he voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump had made clear he wanted Cassidy out. Ahead of the election, he reiterated his endorsement of Letlow and called Cassidy a "disloyal disaster."

On Saturday evening, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: "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!"

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) said Sunday on Fox News that Trump still commanded a huge influence in his state. "It's the most powerful endorsement in the history of politics," Johnson said.

Letlow enjoyed broad support across Louisiana, leading the vote in 52 of the state's 64 parishes.

"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," Trump said in a separate post.

Cassidy has argued that he works well with the president despite his past conviction vote against him. After his defeat, he told supporters in a concession speech: "This was not the result that I necessarily wanted, but I feel great."

Cassidy said that "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 why. You don't manufacture some excuse." Instead, he 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."

With 99% of the estimated vote counted, Letlow had 45% of the vote, Fleming had 28% and Cassidy 25%.

Trump has ended the political careers of many GOP lawmakers whom he saw as disloyal, including former Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Earlier this year, Trump convinced Indiana voters to toss out many of the state lawmakers who rebuffed his redistricting push in the state.

Over the weekend, Trump stepped up his attacks on his biggest target: Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who voted against Trump's "one big beautiful bill" and, along with Greene, drove the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files over Trump's initial strong objections.

Massie's primary against a Trump-backed challenger is Tuesday, and opinion polls have it neck and neck.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), a Trump ally, said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Cassidy had lost because he voted to convict Trump in the 2021 impeachment trial. He predicted a similar fate for Massie.

"Those who try to destroy Trump politically, stand in the way of his agenda, are going to lose," Graham said. "Bill Cassidy lost because he tried to destroy Trump. Massie's going to lose because he's trying to destroy the agenda."

Cassidy, a doctor by trade, ran a heavily funded and aggressive campaign, seeking to paint Letlow as liberal over her past comments about expanding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts while she worked in higher education. His campaign's line of attack, however, wasn't enough to save him from a concerted effort by the president and his allies to remove him from office.

"People were saying, 'We want an alternative. We do not want him to represent us,'" Letlow said in a recent interview, recalling voters' sentiments shortly after his vote to convict Trump in 2021.

Her late husband, Luke Letlow, won the House seat in 2020 that Julia Letlow now holds. He died of Covid-19, just days before he was set to be sworn in. Letlow largely focused her Senate campaign on a message of hope, opting to avoid throwing punches at Cassidy and Fleming through much of the race.

Fleming previously served in the U.S. House and joined the Trump administration in the president's first term. He ran as a solidly pro-Trump candidate, despite not getting the endorsement. He largely self-funded his campaign, lending it about $10.6 million, according to Federal Election Commission records. Fleming joined in on Cassidy's campaign attacks, painting Letlow as liberal.

Write to Olivia Beavers at Olivia.Beavers@wsj.com and Anthony DeBarros at anthony.debarros@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 17, 2026 11:53 ET (15:53 GMT)

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