Louisiana Republican voters will decide on a new senator in a runoff election on Saturday. Rep. Julia Letlow, endorsed by President Donald Trump, faces state Treasurer John Fleming in a contest that is likely to determine the next senator in the deep-red state.

Background

This election is a test of Trump’s influence on the Republican Party. Trump had opposed incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy, who finished third in the May 16 primary. Cassidy had voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial in 2021.

Letlow, who has been endorsed by Trump, earned the most votes in the primary with nearly 45% support, followed by Fleming at 28% and Cassidy at almost 25%. Since no candidate received a majority, the top two finishers advanced to the runoff.

Campaign

Trump held a telephone rally for Letlow on Thursday night, praising her as a ‘fearless champion for the people of your great state.’ Letlow has campaigned on her support for Trump’s agenda, including his tax and spending measure and immigration enforcement efforts.

Fleming, a former House member, has also campaigned on his support for Trump’s agenda, describing himself as a ‘MAGA conservative.’ The ideological differences between the two candidates are relatively small.

Implications

The outcome of the runoff is likely to determine the next senator from Louisiana, as the state is not viewed as a competitive target by Democrats. Trump has won Louisiana by more than 18 percentage points three times.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.