Trump-Backed Julia Letlow Wins Louisiana Senate GOP Primary/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow won Louisiana’s Republican Senate runoff, defeating state Treasurer John Fleming after receiving President Donald Trump’s endorsement. The victory positions Letlow as the heavy favorite to replace retiring Sen. Bill Cassidy in November.
Julia Letlow Louisiana Senate Primary Quick Looks
- Julia Letlow won the Republican Senate runoff in Louisiana.
- She defeated former Congressman and state Treasurer John Fleming.
- President Donald Trump endorsed Letlow before she entered the race.
- Letlow thanked Trump and pledged to support his agenda.
- The victory marks another Trump-backed primary success in 2026.
- Letlow is favored in the general election in the strongly Republican state.
- Democrat Jamie Davis won the Democratic Senate nomination.
Letlow Captures GOP Senate Nomination
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow secured the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate on Saturday, defeating state Treasurer John Fleming in Louisiana’s GOP runoff and delivering another primary victory for President Donald Trump-backed candidates.
The contest followed the May 16 primary, where Letlow and Fleming advanced after neither candidate received a majority of the vote. Incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy finished third and failed to reach the runoff after facing continued opposition from Trump supporters over his 2021 vote to convict the president during his second impeachment trial.
With Louisiana remaining one of the nation’s most Republican states, Letlow now enters the general election as the overwhelming favorite to win the Senate seat.
Letlow Thanks Trump for His Support
Addressing supporters during her election night celebration in Baton Rouge, Letlow credited Trump for helping propel her campaign.
“I am so filled with gratitude for the greatest president this country has every had, Donald J. Trump,” Letlow said.
“I am also so incredibly grateful for your endorsement.”
Throughout the campaign, Letlow emphasized that she would work closely with Trump and support his legislative priorities if elected to the Senate.
Her victory continues Trump’s broader effort to reshape the Republican Party by backing candidates who closely align with his political agenda.
Trump’s Influence Remains Strong
Trump endorsed Letlow before she officially launched her campaign after Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry privately encouraged the president to support her candidacy.
The endorsement proved significant in a race dominated by questions of loyalty to Trump.
Cassidy had spent months attempting to avoid a Trump-backed primary challenge after becoming one of only seven Republican senators to vote to convict Trump during his impeachment trial.
While Cassidy ultimately failed to advance, Letlow comfortably led the initial primary with nearly 45% of the vote before winning Saturday’s runoff.
For some Republican voters, Trump’s endorsement settled the race.
“Trump’s lady all the way,” said voter Barbara Dufrene.
“I always vote whatever Trump wants.”
Campaign Focused on Conservative Credentials
Fleming, a former congressman and founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, campaigned as a longtime supporter of Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.
He argued his conservative voting record exceeded Letlow’s and promoted himself as MAGA “long before it was cool.”
Fleming also said he attempted to secure Trump’s endorsement but claimed he was unable to reach the president until after Trump had already committed to Letlow.
“I said nobody has been more loyal to you than me,” Fleming recalled of his conversation with Trump.
“He said, ‘You’re fantastic! Why didn’t you call?’”
Despite the personal appeal, Trump never changed his endorsement.
Advertising Battle Intensified
Although both campaigns spent roughly $1 million on advertising following the first round of voting, outside spending heavily favored Letlow.
A super PAC supporting her campaign invested more than $4 million in advertising during the final six weeks of the race, providing a significant financial advantage.
The campaign also became increasingly contentious.
Fleming criticized Letlow over her previous public support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives while she worked in higher education before later opposing such policies.
Meanwhile, Letlow condemned an AI-generated video shared on social media that falsely portrayed her discussing DEI and referenced her late husband, Luke Letlow, who died from COVID-19 complications shortly after being elected to Congress in 2020.
She called the video’s circulation “disgraceful and indefensible.”
General Election Outlook
Following her victory, Letlow sought to unite Republicans ahead of November.
She thanked Fleming for what she described as a cordial phone conversation after the race was called.
Fleming also urged Republicans to unite.
“The contest for this primary is over, and now it’s on to the general election,” Fleming told supporters.
“And we want to continue to make America strong by sending the best of the best there.”
If elected, Letlow would become Louisiana’s first female Republican elected to the U.S. Senate.
Democrats Select Their Nominee
On the Democratic side, northeast Louisiana farmer Jamie Davis won the party’s Senate nomination by defeating Navy veteran and business executive Gary Crockett.
Both Democratic candidates focused much of their campaigns on lowering living costs and protecting federal social safety net programs.
However, with Trump carrying Louisiana by 22 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, Republicans enter the general election with a significant advantage.
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