Fresh off an endorsement from President Donald Trump, Rep. Julia Letlow of Louisiana is launching a U.S. Senate bid against fellow Republican and second-term Sen. Bill Cassidy.
Letlow made her announcement Tuesday during a breakfast hosted by The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report.
“It’s an honor to share with you, after the endorsement and encouragement from the president, the president of the United States, Trump, that today I will officially be announcing my candidacy for the U.S. Senate,” she said, according to audio of the event obtained by The Associated Press.
The development further complicates Cassidy's difficult reelection path and effectively marks the final failure of his attempts to placate the president after voting in 2021 to convict Trump on impeachment charges stemming from his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Cassidy confirmed Tuesday on X that he'd heard from Letlow personally.
"Congresswoman Letlow called me this morning to say she was running,” he wrote. “She said she respected me and that I had done a good job. I will continue to do a good job when I win re-election.”
A reliable Trump vote in the House, Letlow was elected to the House in a 2021 special election after her husband died of COVID complications shortly after winning the congressional seat. Letlow, who represents parts of north and central Louisiana, did not mention Cassidy during her 18-minute speech, instead emphasizing her support for Republicans' sweeping domestic policy and tax bill that Trump signed last summer.
Trump's backing of Letlow pits the White House against the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which has endorsed Cassidy as part of its tradition of backing incumbents. Senate Majority Leader John Thune appeared publicly with Cassidy in Louisiana last week.
The move also underscores Trump's alliance with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a firebrand conservative who months ago identified Letlow as an ideal challenger to Cassidy. Landry has since become Trump's envoy to Greenland as the president pushes for a U.S. takeover of the semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
Louisiana holds party primaries for federal offices on May 16. Only Republicans and independents can vote in the GOP primary. Several other Republicans have announced campaigns, including former congressman and current state Treasurer John Fleming and state Rep. Julie Emerson. Like Cassidy, Fleming had hoped to win Trump's endorsement after having left Congress to serve in Trump's first administration.
Cassidy, a physician who was once an outspoken critic of Republican health care policies before he entered politics himself, incensed Louisiana conservatives with his support for Trump's conviction in 2021. Once Trump emerged as the party's 2024 front-runner, Cassidy tried to return to the fold, with his official social media accounts consistently praising the president and casting him as a member of Trump's “Make America Great Again” movement.
As Senate health committee chairman, Cassidy provided the decisive vote to advance Robert Kennedy Jr.'s controversial nomination as health secretary, despite the senator expressing concerns about Kennedy's views on vaccines. Cassidy explained his vote saying he'd received assurances that Kennedy would not pursue certain changes to U.S. vaccine policy. Kennedy has proceeded to roll back U.S. vaccine recommendations.
Trump endorsed Letlow in a Truth Social post on Saturday. "Highly Respected America First Congresswoman, Julia Letlow, of the wonderful State of Louisiana, is a Great Star, has been from the very beginning, and only gets better!" he wrote. "Julia Letlow has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!"
Cassidy, meanwhile, still has Trump featured in his social media accounts. Pinned atop his campaign X account is a snapshot of a red Trump hat, signed by the president and given to the senator in the Oval Office. Atop his official Senate account is a picture from the same day last fall, with Trump seated at his desk and Cassidy smiling over his shoulder.
"Great to be with @POTUS in the Oval Office today!" Cassidy wrote. "This is what a great working relationship looks like."
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Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
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