Trump-endorsed Louisiana Rep. Letlow defeats Fleming in competitive GOP Senate runoff, AP projects

In a race between two staunch conservatives in Louisiana who campaigned on their loyalty to President Donald Trump, Rep. Julia Letlow will win the state’s Republican Senate runoff, the Associated Press projected Saturday evening.

As of 9:47 p.m. EDT, with 39% of the expected vote, Letlow received about 55% of the vote, defeating Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming with about 45% of the vote, according to the AP.

In her victory speech in Baton Rouge, Letlow cast herself as a fighter and offered effusive praise for Trump. 

She called him “the greatest president this country has ever had.” 

“I knew it was going to be a tough race, and it was filled with trials, but I’m so proud to say that I am truly battle-tested for Nov. 3, and we are going to go win this thing,” Letlow said.

Her victory marks another win for the president and his endorsement record this midterm cycle. In the May 16 Republican primary, Letlow led with about 45% of the vote over Fleming, who won about 28% of the vote, according to the AP. Voters cast out two-term incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy, who trailed behind with about 25% of the vote. 

Letlow rose to political prominence in 2021 after winning a seat in the 5th Congressional District. She ran in a special election after her husband, who had been elected to represent that district, died from COVID-19 complications before he could take office. 

Fleming, a physician and former congressman who also served in multiple roles in Trump’s first administration, largely campaigned in lockstep with the president, despite failing to earn his endorsement. The treasurer previously told ABC News they “enjoy a warm relationship.”

In Trump’s mission to oust his perceived political foes, he urged Louisianans to vote against Cassidy, who in 2021 voted to convict the president following the Jan. 6 insurrection. This week, Trump and Cassidy clashed over the outgoing senator’s vote to rein in Trump’s powers amid the war in Iran, ABC News reported.

With Cassidy off the ballot, some Louisianans may have been less motivated to vote in the runoff, according to Lionel Rainey III, a Republican strategist.

“You had people that turned out in round one just to vote against Cassidy. That mission is over,” he told ABC News ahead of the race.

Still, Letlow entered the race better positioned to win, Robert Hogan, a Louisiana State University professor of political science, told ABC News.

Trump did not visit the Pelican State, but reinforced his endorsement of Letlow on social media when early voting began and held a telerally for the congresswoman on Thursday. 

The contest between Letlow and Fleming became acrimonious at times. The treasurer has been critical of what he calls the “dark money” and slew of attack ads waged against him, particularly on illegal immigration, even as he campaigned on securing stronger borders. 

Fleming also employed a similar playbook to Cassidy. He has painted the congresswoman as “liberal,” particularly over comments she made in support of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) while interviewing to become president at the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2020. 

Letlow said in a debate this year against Fleming that since then, “the left completely hijacked DEI,” later adding she “spent the last five years in Congress working against it.”

Letlow will face off against Jamie Davis, who was backed by New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno in the deep-red state this November. Davis, a farmer, won the runoff against Gary Crockett, the AP projected. As of 9:55 p.m. EDT, with 51% of the expected vote, Davis earned about 79% of the vote, while Crockett received 21%.