{"id":1211,"date":"2026-05-17T03:40:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T03:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/?p=1211"},"modified":"2026-05-17T03:40:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T03:40:02","slug":"louisiana-sen-bill-cassidy-loses-in-republican-primary-does-not-advance-to-runoff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/?p=1211","title":{"rendered":"Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy loses in Republican primary, does not advance to runoff"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"slug-wrap\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/elections\/\">Elections<\/a><br \/>\n    <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"storytitle\">\n<h1>Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy loses in Republican primary, does not advance to runoff<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORYTITLE\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"story-meta\" class=\"story-meta has-byline\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one-inner\">\n<div class=\"dateblock\">\n    <time datetime=\"2026-05-16T23:02:34-04:00\"><br \/>\n            <span class=\"date\">May 16, 2026<\/span><span class=\"time\">11:02 PM ET<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/time>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE-INNER\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE\" --><\/p>\n<div class=\"story-meta__two\">\n<div id=\"storybyline\" class=\"storybyline-wrap linkLocation\">\n<div class=\"bucketwrap byline\">\n<div class=\"byline-container--block\">\n<p class=\"byline__name--block\">By\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"byline byline--block byline--has-link\" aria-label=\"Byline\">\n<p class=\"byline__name byline__name--block\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/580304156\/sam-gringlas\" rel=\"author\"><br \/>\n      Sam Gringlas<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP BYLINE\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__TWO\" -->\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"STORY-META\" CLASS=\"STORY-META HAS-BYLINE\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\" class=\"storytext storylocation linkLocation\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-122329\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 4500;--source-height: 3002\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4500x3002+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa4%2F37%2F8df223714defa965acb3d14db63c%2F20260505-af-521-final.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4500x3002+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa4%2F37%2F8df223714defa965acb3d14db63c%2F20260505-af-521-final.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"One observer of the current Senate race in Louisiana noted that Sen. Bill Cassidy could lose his reelection bid.\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                One observer of the current Senate race in Louisiana noted that Sen. Bill Cassidy could lose his reelection bid.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Annie Flanagan for NPR<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Annie Flanagan for NPR<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Sen. Bill Cassidy lost Saturday&#8217;s Louisiana Republican primary according to a race call by the Associated Press.<\/p>\n<p>Cassidy, who served two terms in the Senate, was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict President Trump after the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol. That vote put him at odds with Trump and his MAGA coalition, ultimately leading Trump to push Rep. Julia Letlow to run against Cassidy.<\/p>\n<p>Cassidy&#8217;s bid for a third term was viewed as a test of Trump&#8217;s grip on the party\u2013and of what voters want from their representatives in Washington. The primary pitted Cassidy, a veteran lawmaker, former physician and chair of the powerful Senate health committee, against Letlow, a political newcomer and a millennial MAGA loyalist.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-122504\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 6000;--source-height: 4000\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F59%2F5d%2F0f2eab974bf884615866edea23dc%2Fgettyimages-2274869184.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F59%2F5d%2F0f2eab974bf884615866edea23dc%2Fgettyimages-2274869184.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"A detailed view of a hat that reads, Run Julia Run, is seen at a campaign event for Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) on May 6, 2026 in Franklinton, Louisiana.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                A detailed view of a hat that reads, Run Julia Run, is seen at a campaign event for Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) on May 6, 2026 in Franklinton, Louisiana.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Tyler Kaufman\/Getty Images<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Tyler Kaufman\/Getty Images<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A former college administrator, Letlow won a special election in 2021 for the House seat her late husband, Luke, was set to assume before he died from COVID in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>In Congress, Letlow sponsored a bill to collect oral histories from the pandemic and has focused on education and children. She introduced the &#8220;Parents Bill of Rights Act,&#8221; which would allow parents to review classroom materials like library books and require schools to notify parents if their child requests different pronouns, locker rooms or sports teams.<\/p>\n<p>She also serves on the powerful appropriations committee and has embraced Trump&#8217;s agenda.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5824533-100\" class=\"bucketwrap externallink\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wwno.org\/politics\/2026-05-16\/widespread-confusion-surrounds-louisianas-may-16-election-leaving-voters-frustrated\">Gulf States Newsroom: Widespread confusion surrounds Louisiana&#8217;s May 16 election, leaving voters &#8216;frustrated&#8217;<\/a>\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5824533-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP EXTERNALLINK\" --><\/p>\n<p>Letlow, who came first in Saturday&#8217;s primary, will face Louisiana state Treasurer John Fleming in the runoff on June 27. Cassidy came in third.<\/p>\n<p>The election result is a victory for President Trump who has put Republican loyalty to the test on the ballot so far this year in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/05\/05\/nx-s1-5807910\/2026-midterm-primary-election-ohio-indiana\" target=\"_blank\">Indiana state senate primaries<\/a> and in Cassidy&#8217;s race. <\/p>\n<p>Another major test of Trump&#8217;s influence comes in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lpm.org\/news\/2026-05-11\/massie-or-gallrein-kentucky-voters-to-decide-the-true-meaning-of-maga-in-heated-gop-primary\" target=\"_blank\">Kentucky&#8217;s primary<\/a> on Tuesday when Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who has found himself at odds with the president, faces a challenger endorsed by Trump.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"share-tools share-tools--secondary\" aria-label=\"Share tools\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--facebook\"><button class=\"fbStorynx-s1-5824533\" data-share-facebook='{\"storyId\": \"nx-s1-5824533\" }' data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"facebook\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Facebook<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--flipboard\"><button class=\"storynx-s1-5824533\" data-share-flipboard='{\"storyId\": \"nx-s1-5824533\" }' data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"flipboard\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Flipboard<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--email\"><button class=\"share-tools__email-link\" data-story-id=\"nx-s1-5824533\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"email\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Email<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"SHARE-TOOLS SHARE-TOOLS-SECONDARY\" ARIA-LABEL=\"SHARE TOOLS\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"NEWSLETTER-ACQUISITION-CALLOUT-DATA\" DATA-NEWSLETTER=\"{&amp;QUOT;NEWSLETTERID&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;POLITICS&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;TITLE&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;POLITICS&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;MARKETINGHEADER&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;SIGN UP FOR THE NPR POLITICS NEWSLETTER&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;FREQUENCY&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;EVERY WEEK&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;SHORTDESCRIPTION&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO YOUR HOME U2014 POLITICAL NEWS AND ANALYSIS THAT MATTER, SENT WEEKLY.&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;STICKYDESCRIPTION&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;SUBSCRIBE TO THE NPR POLITICS NEWSLETTER FOR THE LATEST NEWS FROM WASHINGTON AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU. 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Bill Cassidy loses in Republican primary, does not advance to runoff May 16, 202611:02 PM<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1211"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1212,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1211\/revisions\/1212"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}