Elections · Baton Rouge
Julia Letlow wins Louisiana GOP Senate nomination after Trump endorsement
Representative Julia Letlow secured the Republican Senate nomination in Louisiana on Saturday, defeating state Treasurer John Fleming in a runoff contest that became a barometer of President Trump's influence in GOP primaries.
AI text based on reports by Bloomberg Business, POLITICO and The New York Times. Published . How it is made
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In brief
Rep. Julia Letlow won the GOP runoff over state Treasurer John Fleming and will face Democrat Jamie Davis in November.
President Trump's endorsement proved decisive, though recent gubernatorial primary losses in Iowa and Georgia showed its limits.
Fleming argued he was the more conservative option, focusing on Letlow's past D.E.I. comments, but fell short.
Senator Bill Cassidy's third-place finish in May marked a rare primary defeat for a sitting senator, triggered by his vote to convict Trump.
Letlow enters the general election as the overwhelming favorite; a win would make her the first Republican woman to represent Louisiana in the Senate.
- 15 JanTrump publicly urges Julia Letlow to run for Senate
- 16 MayFirst-round primary: Letlow leads, Cassidy finishes third and fails to advance
- 20 MayScalise, Blackburn, Ernst and Hyde-Smith endorse Letlow after Cassidy's defeat
- 27 JunRunoff election: Letlow defeats Fleming to become GOP nominee
Trump's backing propels Letlow
President Trump urged Julia Letlow to enter the race months ago, writing on social media in January:
“RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!”
Letlow built on that endorsement and a first-place finish in the May primary. She was further lifted by Governor Jeff Landry and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who called her a "strong conservative fighter." After Trump-skeptical Senator Bill Cassidy failed to advance, Senators Marsha Blackburn, Joni Ernst and Cindy Hyde-Smith also backed her.
Fleming's conservative challenge falls short
State Treasurer John Fleming, a former congressman and Trump administration official, mounted a vigorous effort to outflank Letlow on the right. He questioned her past comments on diversity, equity and inclusion, which she later disavowed as having been "hijacked by the radical left."
“Anybody who looked at us on paper would say, well, I'm the obvious MAGA Republican Trump choice.”
Limited public polling in the runoff's final days showed the race tightening, but Letlow held on.
Cassidy ousted over impeachment vote
Senator Bill Cassidy's third-place finish in the primary marked a rare defeat for a sitting senator. Cassidy angered Trump and the party base by voting to convict the president during the 2021 impeachment trial. His removal from the contest was a high-profile victory for the MAGA movement.
General election outlook
Letlow enters November as an overwhelming favorite in deep-red Louisiana. If she wins the general election, she will become the first Republican woman to represent the state in the Senate. Democrat Jamie Davis, a Louisiana farmer, won his party's runoff and will be the Democratic nominee.
“A Letlow loss would be inexplicable, but it is somehow possible.”
How the race unfolded
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Sources and context
- Bloomberg BusinessLetlow Wins Louisiana GOP Senate Primary, DDHQ Projects
- POLITICOTrump-backed Letlow wins GOP primary for Sen. Bill Cassidy's seat
- The New York TimesJulia Letlow, Lifted by Trump, Wins Republican Senate Runoff in Louisiana
- POLITICOThe Republican trying to out-MAGA Trump's pick to a Senate victory
- Julia Letlow
- U.S. Representative and Republican Senate nominee for Louisiana
- John Fleming
- Louisiana State Treasurer and former congressman
- Donald Trump
- President of the United States, endorsed Letlow
- Bill Cassidy
- Incumbent U.S. Senator, defeated in the primary
- Jeff Landry
- Governor of Louisiana, endorsed Letlow
- Steve Scalise
- House Majority Leader, endorsed Letlow
- Lionel Rainey III
- Republican strategist in Louisiana
- Jamie Davis
- Democratic Senate nominee in Louisiana
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