Overview
- Both Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Julia Letlow filed on Feb. 13 for the May 16 Republican primary, with Letlow qualifying two hours before Cassidy.
- Cassidy expressed confidence after filing and minimized the effect of President Trump’s endorsement of Letlow, highlighting his record as the basis for reelection.
- The race escalated outside the filing site, where Cassidy’s campaign ran a mobile billboard labeling Letlow a liberal; Letlow rejected the attacks and pointed to Trump’s support.
- Letlow has drawn backing from Trump, Gov. Jeff Landry, and Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta, who opted not to run and endorsed her instead.
- The GOP field also includes State Treasurer John Fleming and Mark Spencer, while prominent Democrats passed on the race under new closed-primary rules that focus the fight within party electorates.