‘LaPolitics’: Welcome to Louisiana’s Republican US Senate primary

With Louisiana moving to a closed primary model in April and Republican U.S. Senate candidates jockeying for their moderate-to-conservative shares of the electoral pie, state Treasurer John Fleming stands out early with his increasingly harsh job reviews of Gov. Jeff Landry.

“There are a lot of people mad at the governor,” Fleming tells LaPolitics, “and the governor is mad at a lot of people.” 

Fleming, a former member of Congress from Minden and a repeat appointee of President Donald Trump, wants to replace incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Baton Rouge. But for now, Fleming’s raising eyebrows in Capitoland for leaning into Landry.   

The governor championed income tax cuts offset by increases elsewhere, the treasurer argues, and spending cuts from Louisiana DOGE are difficult to find. (Fleming asked to be a part of that cost-savings project, but claims he was rebuffed by the Landry administration.) 

Aside from not doing enough to cut spending, Fleming says Landry allowed one of the state’s Republican-majority congressional districts to vanish and then set up Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple to be the “fall guy” for high insurance rates while not doing enough to address the state’s “terrible tort system.” 

Fleming adds, “The governor was not able to get Amendment 2 passed [in March], which was part of that tax deal. We’re really getting behind on progress, between our governor and Legislature, on the modernization and reforms that we need.” 

There aren’t a whole lot of Louisiana politicos running around picking fights with Landry, a trusted ally of the Trump machine. Especially when it comes to the GOP ranks. 

Yet resentment is growing in some conservative corners, particularly in the wake of the governor’s progressively cozy relationship with the trial bar, a natural enemy for business and industry, which typically has its way with Republican elected officials here. 

So what gives? A notable anti-Landry vote could emerge in time for the spring party elections, and Fleming might be positioned—he certainly hopes—to capitalize on the trend with all of this related groundwork.  

Some from the state’s political class suggest Fleming didn’t have much of a choice, since Landry essentially became The Opposition when news broke about the governor and Trump discussing the possibility of Congresswoman Julia Letlow of Start running with their blessings.  

“The Julia Letlow move by [Landry] signaled to Fleming that Landry’s his enemy in this election,” says Baton Rouge pollster and consultant Bernie Pinsonat. 

A Landry spokesperson did not respond to emails inquiring about Fleming’s comments, and a longtime political adviser declined to comment, as well.  

Letlow, for her part, has not confirmed nor denied anything regarding the Senate race.  

“I remain focused on the job I was elected to do, and we are working to pass the Trump agenda and deliver his Big Beautiful Bill,” Letlow said in a prepared statement. 

Officially in the race is state Sen. Blake Miguez of Iberia Parish. Miguez kicked off his campaign with a video tapping into the GOP-based anger over Cassidy and his vote to convict Trump in the president’s second impeachment trial. 

“I’m Blake Miguez and I’m running for the U.S. Senate, because Bill Cassidy sucks,” he said in his announcement video. 

Miguez, however, has likewise lit a fire underneath his own criticisms of Gov. Landry. Miguez opposed the governor’s stance on licensing board oversight and dunked on Landry’s tax and spending plans. Landry, in return fire over social media, has accused Miguez of “political posturing.”   

Then there’s Sammy Wyatt, who holds a Ph.D. in human resource education. Wyatt says he’s running to be the “America First voice that Louisianans desperately deserve,” referencing the president’s policy agenda. 

This crowded field could benefit the incumbent, according to pollster and consultant Greg Rigamer of New Orleans, who says Cassidy polls better with the general populace than he does among Republicans. 

“They’re both such MAGA people,” he said of Fleming and Miguez, noting Fleming is popular in north Louisiana and Miguez is a known entity in Acadiana. “So they’re going to split that MAGA vote up pretty good.”

But even in a Republican field where everyone is declaring their fealty to Trump, Fleming’s MAGA credentials stand out, he argues.  

“You have a lot of politicians running around saying, ‘I’m MAGA,’” says Fleming, who endorsed Trump in 2016 and served in his first administration. “Well, I was MAGA before it was cool to be MAGA.” 

Pollster Bishop George of Shreveport says Fleming, Miguez and Letlow all could be formidable candidates. 

“What Cassidy has to do is he has to change people’s minds, which is extremely tough,” George says. “It’s possible with the right message, but he’s got to have the right message, and then everyone else’s game is essentially just raising enough money for people to know who they are.”  

One under-discussed factor to keep in mind is that, under this new system, independents can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primaries. In a packed field, attracting those voters could end up being key for Cassidy or one of the other contenders.  

Cassidy opposed the shift to the party primary system, which he calls a waste of money that will cost the state some $100 million over 10 years. Asked if he thinks he can appeal to independents, Cassidy said he suspects many will show up not even realizing the party primaries are happening.

“Our message will remain the same: We’ve done a really good job for Louisiana, I’ll continue to do a good job and I think I’ve earned your support,” he says.  

Ashley Bosch, Cassidy’s campaign press secretary, also contributed the following statement: “We are focused on maximizing voter turnout under the new primary system and are committed to reaching primary voters in all 64 parishes across Louisiana. Sen. Cassidy has a strong record of delivering real results for Louisiana, and his proven leadership and conservative values continue to resonate with voters statewide.”