Rep. Julia Letlow announced Tuesday that she is launching a Republican primary challenge against Sen. Bill Cassidy, setting up a high-stakes intraparty showdown in Louisiana just days after President Donald Trump publicly encouraged her to seek the Senate seat.
Letlow made her intentions clear in a two-minute campaign launch video, framing her bid as an extension of the America First agenda and closely aligning herself with the president. In the ad, she said she has fought alongside Trump to prioritize conservative values, including securing the border, backing law enforcement, cutting waste, fraud, and abuse that she said fuels inflation, and pushing back against what she described as woke ideology in education.
Letlow argued that voters in a deeply conservative state like Louisiana should not be left guessing how their senator will vote when political pressure mounts. Without naming Cassidy directly, she said the state deserves conservative champions who will not flinch, drawing a clear contrast between her approach and the incumbent’s record.
Cassidy acknowledged Letlow’s announcement shortly after it became public, writing on X that the congresswoman, who has represented Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District since 2021, personally called him earlier in the day to inform him of her decision. Cassidy said Letlow told him she respected him and believed he had done a good job.
In his post, Cassidy expressed confidence about the race, saying he would continue to do a good job when he wins reelection. He described himself as a conservative focused on improving life in Louisiana and across the country, signaling that he intends to fight hard to keep his seat.
Letlow’s entry into the race comes on the heels of strong encouragement from Donald Trump, who praised her in a Truth Social post as a “TOTAL WINNER!” and said she has always delivered for Louisiana. That endorsement immediately elevated speculation that Letlow would challenge Cassidy and underscored Trump’s continued influence in Republican primaries.
The contest is shaping up as a referendum not only on Cassidy’s tenure but also on his past break with Trump. Cassidy remains under fire from the president and his supporters for being one of seven Republican senators who voted in 2021 to convict Trump following his impeachment over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Although the Senate ultimately acquitted Trump, the vote left lasting resentment among the GOP base.
Since then, Cassidy has worked to realign himself with Trump and repair their strained relationship. One notable move was his vote to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services, a decision seen as part of his effort to demonstrate loyalty to the party’s direction.
Even so, Trump’s endorsement of Letlow, combined with Louisiana’s new closed primary system, poses a serious challenge for Cassidy. The changes make it more difficult for him to rely on crossover voters and could amplify the impact of Trump’s backing in a Republican-only contest.
At the same time, political dynamics could still work in Cassidy’s favor if multiple Republicans enter the race. A crowded primary field could split opposition support and give the incumbent a path to survive.
With Letlow emerging as his most formidable challenger, Cassidy now faces a defining test of his political future, as Louisiana Republicans weigh loyalty to Trump against the record of a sitting senator.
