U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy is fighting for his political life in Louisiana’s Republican primary on Saturday as he faces a challenge backed by President Donald Trump, the latest attempt by the president to purge the party of politicians he views as disloyal. Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow over Cassidy, in an unusual attempt to dislodge an incumbent senator. Cassidy voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, stemming from the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Cassidy, a doctor, has also clashed with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy, even though he provided crucial support to help Kennedy get confirmed.
The president unloaded on Cassidy on Saturday morning, calling him “a disloyal disaster” and “a terrible guy” on social media. Trump criticized the senator’s impeachment vote and said “he’s going to get CLOBBERED,” adding that Letlow is “a winner who will NEVER let you down.”
A third candidate is state Treasurer John Fleming. If no one gets at least 50 per cent of the vote, a runoff will be held June 27. The winner will almost certainly take the November general election because of the state’s Republican leanings.
The election was scrambled by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision gutting a part of the Voting Rights Act
Read More