Letlow and Fleming headed for runoff in Louisiana U.S. Senate race

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(The Center Square) − Julia Letlow will face John Fleming in a runoff for a U.S. Senate seat after incumbent Bill Cassidy was ousted following 12 years in office. 

Letlow nearly won the race outright, securing 45% of the vote and falling just short of the threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Fleming finished second with 28%, while Cassidy received 24%.

Speaking at a campaign party in Baton Rouge, Letlow thanked supporters and credited former President Donald Trump’s endorsement with helping her withstand what she described as $26 million in negative ads.

“Tonight, Louisiana sent a clear message that they want a candidate to represent them in the Senate who will always put America first and never turn her back on Louisiana voters,” Letlow said.

The result marks a stunning defeat for Cassidy, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014 after defeating Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu. Cassidy, a Republican physician from Baton Rouge, won reelection in 2020 but failed to advance Saturday night.

Letlow represents Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District and is the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Louisiana. She won the seat in a 2021 special election after her husband, Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, died from complications of COVID-19 before taking office. Before entering Congress, Letlow worked in higher education and earned a doctorate in communications.

Letlow said her campaign was motivated by her children and the families she said she hopes to represent.

“I wake up every day with that fire in my belly to go fight for this country so that they can enjoy the freedom that we all enjoyed growing up,” Letlow said. “And I have a feeling your why looks a lot like mine. It’s your kids. It’s your grandkids.”

Fleming is a former congressman and physician who later served in the Trump administration. He is now Louisiana’s state treasurer.

The runoff will determine who fills the Senate seat now held by Cassidy. Under Louisiana’s election system, a candidate can win outright only by receiving more than 50% of the vote. Because no candidate crossed that mark, the top two finishers advance.

Letlow told supporters the campaign was not over and said she would continue traveling the state ahead of the runoff.

“I will crisscross all across the state yet again, fighting for families,” Letlow said. “I will never forget that this is not my seat, it is yours — the people’s seat. And that will be at the forefront of every decision I ever make, and every vote that I ever take."

Gov. Jeff Landry praised Julia Letlow’s showing Saturday, casting her finish as a sign of strength for the pro-Trump wing of the Republican Party.

“Julia Letlow is a Louisiana MAGA Warrior,” Landry said, adding that her performance was “impressive” despite what he described as millions of dollars in negative and misleading attack ads.

Landry credited former President Donald Trump’s endorsement with energizing conservative voters and helping Letlow secure a “strong, dominant, first place finish.”

“President Trump deserves to have an energetic fighter like Julia,” Landry said. “Louisiana deserves someone with her heart, conviction and conservative values.”