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Three days after President Donald Trump exploded a political bomb in Louisiana’s Senate race by endorsing Republican Rep. Julia Letlow over incumbent GOP Sen. Invoice Cassidy, sources say Letlow is prone to launch a marketing campaign as early as this week.
Trump’s assist of Letlow, who was elected in 2021 after her husband Luke died from COVID shortly earlier than taking workplace within the Home, is a extreme setback for Cassidy, a doctor and chair of the highly effective Senate Well being committee who’s working for a 3rd six-year time period within the solidly pink state.
And it is a main political headache for Senate Majority Chief John Thune, who’s backing Cassidy and teamed up with the senator final week in Louisiana.
Trump upended an already crowded GOP Senate main in Louisiana on Saturday evening, with a social media submit making it clear that if the 44-year-old Letlow launched a Senate marketing campaign, she’d have his backing.
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President Donald Trump poses with Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., through the Congressional Ball within the Grand Lobby on the White Home in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 11, 2025. (Al Drago/Reuters)
“Ought to she resolve to enter this RACE,” Trump wrote on social media, “Julia Letlow has my Full and Complete Endorsement. RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!”
Letlow hinted at launching a Senate run following Trump’s submit on X, writing, “My mission is evident: to make sure the nation our kids inherit is safer and stronger. This United States Senate seat belongs to the folks of Louisiana, as a result of we deserve conservative management that won’t waver.”
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There’s been hypothesis for months that Letlow was mulling a Senate bid and a Republican supply confirmed to Fox Information that the congresswoman, who represents a district that covers elements of central and northeastern Louisiana, had indicated that she would not problem Cassidy with out Trump’s backing.
A separate Republican supply confirmed to Fox Information that Trump had reached out to Thune on Friday to present the Senate’s prime Republican a heads-up on the Letlow endorsement.
Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D., speaks at a press convention with different members of Senate Republican management following a coverage luncheon in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 28, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu through Getty Photographs)
Thune continues to assist Cassidy, who was additionally beforehand endorsed by the Nationwide Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the Senate GOP’s marketing campaign arm.
However the deep-pocketed Senate Management Fund (SLF), which is the highest tremendous PAC supporting Senate Republicans and is aligned with Thune, is staying impartial in Louisiana.
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“The mission of the Senate Management Fund is to protect and increase the Republican Senate majority. Something that distracts from our efforts to beat Democrats in November is unhelpful,” SLF Government Director Alex Latchum wrote in a press release to Fox Information Digital.
Phrase that SLF was staying out of the GOP main in Louisiana was first reported by Punchbowl Information.
Sen. Invoice Cassidy, R-La., the chair of the Senate Well being, Schooling, Labor, and Pensions Committee, is working for re-election in 2026 for a 3rd six-year time period representing Louisiana within the Senate. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Photographs)
The 68-year-old Cassidy is staying within the race.
“I’m proudly working for re-election as a principled conservative who will get issues executed for the folks of Louisiana,” Cassidy wrote on social media following Trump’s bombshell. “If Congresswoman Letlow decides to run, I’m assured I’ll win.”
Cassidy had practically $10 million in his marketing campaign coffers on the finish of October, after his final fundraising submitting, with Letlow holding practically $2.3 million money available. However a burst of marketing campaign money will seemingly movement Letlow’s method if she follows via and launches a Senate marketing campaign.
The senator — who voted to convict Trump within the Senate impeachment trial following the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters aiming to upend congressional certification of former President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory — early final yr supported Trump’s controversial cupboard nominees, together with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for Well being secretary.
However the Make America Wholesome Once more (MAHA) PAC, which has shut ties to Kennedy, introduced on Sunday that it will financially assist Letlow.
Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming, a former congressman who served in Trump’s first administration, can also be difficult Cassidy.
“A current ballot exhibits our marketing campaign increasing our lead on Invoice Cassidy, whereas Cassidy’s numbers proceed to drop,” Fleming famous on social media two days after Trump’s endorsement of Letlow.
State Sen. Blake Miguez and state Rep. Julie Emerson are additionally working for the GOP Senate nomination, and former Rep. Garrett Graves is mulling a bid.
Trump’s endorsement of Letlow will increase hypothesis on whether or not he’ll take sides within the flamable and aggressive GOP Senate main in Texas forward of the early March main.
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Longtime Sen. John Cornyn is going through main challenges from two Trump allies, Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt.
Thune speculated final week that Trump would not make an endorsement within the Texas GOP showdown.
