Trump endorses possible primary challenger to Sen. Bill Cassidy

Washington — President Trump endorsed a potential primary challenger to Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy late Saturday, encouraging Rep. Julia Letlow to run for the seat held by the Republican who has occasionally broken with his party.

Mr. Trump praised Letlow in a post on Truth Social while pledging to back the Republican congresswoman if she launches a bid in the Louisiana Senate race.

"Should she decide to enter this Race, Julia Letlow has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!" the president said.

Cassidy, who's seeking a third term in the Senate, was one of seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Mr. Trump in his impeachment trial after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021. A medical doctor, Cassidy has also been at odds with the administration in recent months over HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s leadership.

Cassidy delivered the key vote to advance Kennedy's nomination out of committee in February, cementing his confirmation to the post. Despite expressing misgivings over Kennedy's nomination because of the doubts he has raised about vaccines for decades, Cassidy ultimately supported him, citing "serious commitments" he said he'd received from the administration. But since then, Cassidy has broken with the HHS secretary on multiple occasions, including calling for the postponement of key vaccine advisory panel meetings and slamming a change to the hepatitis B vaccine schedule for infants.

Still, the Louisiana Republican has repeatedly emphasized his cooperation with the administration in recent months. Late last year, Cassidy, who leads the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, worked to spearhead a new approach to address health care costs that Mr. Trump had touted. Amid a push to extend health insurance tax credits by Democrats, Cassidy introduced a measure to put funds into health savings accounts as the president pushed for sending money directly to Americans rather than insurance companies.

Cassidy responded to Mr. Trump's post on social media Saturday.

"I'm proudly running for re-election as a principled conservative who gets things done for the people of Louisiana," Cassidy said in a post on X. "If Congresswoman Letlow decides to run I am confident I will win."

Letlow, who became the first Republican woman elected to represent Louisiana in Congress in 2021, has not previously announced a Senate bid. She came to the House after winning a special election for Louisiana's 5th Congressional District following the death of her husband, who died in 2020 from complications related to COVID-19 before he could be sworn into office.

Letlow thanked the president for his support in a post on X Saturday.

"I'm honored to have President Trump's endorsement and trust. My mission is clear: to ensure the nation our children inherit is safer and stronger," Letlow said. "This United States Senate seat belongs to the people of Louisiana, because we deserve conservative leadership that will not waver."

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