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Sen. Bill Cassidy failed to finish in the top two spots in Louisiana's Republican Senate primary on Saturday. 

The race now goes to a June 27 runoff between Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming. 

Why it matters: It's a win for President Trump, who backed Letlow and urged voters to oust Cassidy, whom he's described as "very disloyal." 

The big picture: Letlow got 45%, Fleming got 28% and Cassidy got 25%, according to results from the secretary of state.

Cassidy told supporters: "Our country is not about one individual. … It is about the welfare of all Americans, and it is about the Constitution."

Letlow said at her victory party: "I want to say thank you to a very special man who you all know — the best president this country has ever had, President Donald Trump."

Driving the news: Cassidy ran afoul of Trump when he voted to convict the president during his Senate impeachment trial over the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. 

Trump was acquitted, but he's sought retribution against Republicans who supported the impeachment effort. 

Cassidy also helped torpedo Casey Means' nomination for surgeon general, a move that drew the ire of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the MAHA movement. 

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at a polling location inside Edward Hynes Charter School on Saturday. Photo: Wayan Barre/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Zoom in: Saturday marked the first time in more than 50 years that Louisiana used a closed-primary system to choose its U.S. senator, a change widely viewed as putting Cassidy at a disadvantage. 

In his previous primary victories, Cassidy's main opposition came from Democrats. 

The closed-primary system was blamed for confusion at the polls Saturday, especially for "no party" voters, who could fill out a declaration to choose a party primary.

Zoom out: Louisiana voters also rejected five constitutional amendments. Gov. Jeff Landry backed four of them, KATC reports.

The public service commissioner race is headed to a runoff between Republicans John Young and Stephanie Hilferty.

Close-up of a pink-header "DECLARATION OF BALLOT CHOICE" ballot form on a gray desk, showing checkboxes for Democratic, Republican, No Party; stacked stickers with orange-yellow logos to the left.

Louisiana voters who aren't affiliated with a political party could fill out this form at the polls to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios

Meanwhile, the legal battles continue over the U.S. House races, which Landry suspended so the state can redraw its congressional map.

The races were still on Saturday's ballots, but the secretary of state says the votes won't count.

A bill is moving through the Legislature to invalidate the thousands of ballots that were cast and have a jungle primary in November, the Louisiana Illuminator reports.

State representatives are expected to vote on a new congressional map this week that could reshape Black representation.

By the numbers: About 800,000 ballots were cast for each of the constitutional amendments, representing about a 27% voter turnout, the SOS says.

The full election turnout percentages will be delayed up to two weeks, a press release says, due to extra paperwork required with the new closed primary system.

The state had 2.9 million registered voters as of May 1.

Image shows "I Voted" stickers with a crawfish on them.

Voters at Louisiana's primary election on Saturday were given "I Voted" stickers featuring dapper crawfish. Photo: Wayan Barre/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Cassidy falls short as Louisiana Senate race heads to runoff

Louisiana voters also rejected five constitutional amendments.

Images shows Bill Cassidy and Julia Letlow in two separate photos. Cassidy is serious while Letlow is smiling behind microphones.

Bill Cassidy, left, and Julia Letlow address supporters Saturday night. Photos: Michael DeMocker/Getty Images; Kathleen Flynn/Getty Images

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Sen. Bill Cassidy" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/17/louisiana-senate-republicans-cassidy-letlow-fleming" data-vars-content-id="6b2d37be-0aa5-40b9-bed1-87879044eee1" data-vars-headline="Cassidy falls short as Louisiana Senate race heads to runoff" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/17/louisiana-senate-republicans-cassidy-letlow-fleming" target="_self">Sen. Bill Cassidy</a> failed to finish in the top two spots in Louisiana&#x27;s Republican Senate primary on Saturday. <ul><li>The race now goes to a June 27 runoff between Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming. </li></ul>Why it matters: It&#x27;s a win for President Trump, who backed Letlow and urged voters to oust Cassidy, whom he&#x27;s described as &quot;very disloyal.&quot;

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Cassidy falls short as Louisiana Senate race heads to runoff

Sen. Bill Cassidy loses Louisiana Republican Senate primary

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