On May 17, 2026, Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, did not advance to the runoff in the GOP Senate primary. This event occurred five years after his controversial vote to convict former President Donald Trump in the 2021 impeachment trial.
During a concession speech in Baton Rouge, Senator Cassidy addressed his supporters alongside his wife, Laura Cassidy. His decision to convict Trump positioned him among the seven Republican senators willing to break ranks, leading to significant backlash within the party.
The call from Trump for Cassidy’s removal did not go unnoticed by the voters in Louisiana. His failure to progress in the primary reflects the substantial influence Trump retains over his political base, which responded by siding against Cassidy.