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United States Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has failed in his bid for a third term, losing his Republican primary in a stark demonstration of President Donald Trump’s enduring control over the party’s base.
Trump had actively targeted Cassidy, endorsing an opponent in retaliation for the senator’s vote to impeach him five years ago.
With 99 per cent of the ballots counted from Saturday’s primary election, Cassidy languished in third place, trailing behind Trump-backed challenger Congresswoman Julia Letlow and state treasurer John Fleming.
This result officially blocks Cassidy from entering the June 27 runoff.
Trump quickly celebrated the outcome on his Truth Social platform, congratulating Letlow on a record-setting victory and mocking the incumbent’s defeat.
The president declared Cassidy’s political career finished, labelling his past actions as legendary disloyalty.
In his concession speech, Cassidy delivered a sharp rebuke without naming Trump directly, stating that American politicians do not whine or claim elections are stolen when they lose, and warning that those who attempt to control others through the levers of power are serving themselves rather than the nation.
Following his success in Louisiana, Trump immediately turned his focus to another legislative adversary, Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie.
Massie, who is seeking an eighth term in the House of Representatives, faces a highly anticipated Tuesday primary against a Trump-endorsed challenger.
Trump lashed out at Massie online, calling him a negative force and a troublemaker while urging Kentucky voters to oust him, particularly after Massie co-sponsored a resolution to end US involvement in the Iran war.
While Trump’s national standing has shown signs of weakening due to economic frustrations and internal party divisions over Iran, his influence among deeply conservative primary voters remains exceptionally strong.
Earlier this month in Indiana, voters ousted five of seven incumbent state Republicans who had refused to support Trump’s demands to redraw election maps.
Tuesday’s upcoming primary in Kentucky will serve as the next major test of this political clout, as Massie, a staunch conservative with backing from the gun lobby, claims that outside billionaires are desperately pouring funds into the state to buy the seat for Trump’s chosen candidate.
