Louisiana Republican voters will decide on a new senator in a primary runoff on Saturday. Rep. Julia Letlow, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, faces state Treasurer John Fleming in the contest. The winner is likely to be elected to a full term in November, given the state’s strong Republican lean.
Background
This runoff is a test of Trump’s influence in the Republican Party. Trump had previously opposed incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy, who was ousted in the primary. Letlow and Fleming have both campaigned on their support for Trump’s agenda, with Fleming touting his experience working in the Trump administration.
Letlow, a 45-year-old former university administrator, was first elected to Congress in 2021. She won a special election to fill a vacancy created when her husband, Luke Letlow, died from Covid-19 in December 2020. Fleming, 74, is a former House member who departed in 2016 to make a failed Senate run.
The outcome of the runoff may depend on how voters in the state’s three most populous parishes – Orleans, East Baton Rouge, and Jefferson – cast their ballots. In the May 16 primary, Cassidy was the top vote-getter in all three parishes.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
