U.S. Representative Julia Letlow, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, secured victory in the Louisiana Republican Senate primary runoff on Saturday, defeating State Treasurer John Fleming. The win marks another instance of Trump's influence in Republican primaries, as Letlow will now be the GOP nominee in November.
Letlow, who received over 55% of the vote compared to Fleming's 45% with 41% of votes counted, was first elected in 2021 to the seat her late husband, Luke Letlow, had held before his death from COVID-19 complications. Trump endorsed Letlow in January, prior to the May primary, where she initially came in first place.
In the general election, Letlow will face Democrat Jamie Davis, who secured his party's nomination with over 78% of the vote. Davis's opponent, Gary Crockett, received 21% of the vote.
The runoff against Fleming tightened in recent weeks, according to polling data. Fleming, a former congressman who served from 2009 to 2017, also previously held the position of Deputy White House Chief of Staff near the end of Trump's first term. Both candidates presented conservative platforms and aligned themselves with Trump's agenda.
Despite Trump's endorsement, Fleming had positioned himself as a MAGA conservative and criticized Letlow for her past support of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. However, Trump made multiple online posts in the final days of the race to support Letlow. He described her as a "Highly Respected America First Congresswoman," a "Great Star," and a "TOTAL WINNER."
In the initial May primary, Letlow defeated Fleming with 45% of the vote, compared to Fleming's 28%. Senator Bill Cassidy, whom Letlow was initially slated to challenge before his defeat in the primary, came in third with 25%.
President Trump's endorsements have a high success rate, with Ballotpedia reporting a 98% win rate, though this figure includes candidates who ran unopposed and races where Trump's involvement occurred after a candidate had already gained significant traction. Trump had previously clashed with Cassidy, who voted to impeach him in 2021. The tension between them was reportedly evident during a recent Senate luncheon.