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U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., is running for the U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy.
Letlow announced her candidacy at Business Report’s Power Breakfast on Tuesday morning. Her announcement comes after President Donald Trump encouraged her to run in a Saturday night Truth Social post.
“It’s an honor to share with you, after the endorsement and encouragement from the president of the United States, Donald Trump, that I will officially be announcing my candidacy for the U.S. Senate,” Letlow said.
A former University of Louisiana at Monroe administrator, Letlow entered politics in 2021 after her husband, Luke Letlow, died from COVID-19 weeks after being elected to Congress in late 2020. She has since won two reelections to his former House seat and last year was considered a leading contender to succeed William Tate as LSU president.
Letlow is currently a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, which has broad oversight over almost all expenditures made by the federal government.
“I know Julia well, have seen her tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and she is a TOTAL WINNER!” Trump wrote on Saturday. “Should she decide to enter this Race Julia Letlow has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!”
Letlow is not the only Republican challenging Cassidy. Other such challengers include Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, state Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, and state Sen. Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia.
Cassidy, who is seeking a third term, was once closely aligned with Trump but fell out of favor after voting to impeach him over the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“When the Democrats’ Impeachment Hoax started, this Lamebrain Senator actually voted against me,” Trump wrote in 2024. “He thought it was so ‘cool,’ until he got home, and was literally pelted with everything that could be used for such an inglorious happening.”
Cassidy shared the following statement following Letlow’s announcement:
“Congresswoman Letlow called me this morning to say she was running. She said she respected me and that I had done a good job. I will continue to do a good job when I win reelection. I am a conservative who wakes up every morning thinking about how to make Louisiana and the United States a better place to live.”
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated since its original publication to include a statement from U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.
