Cassidy launches Senate reelection bid while bracing for primary

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) formally launched his Senate reelection bid Friday as he braces for a potentially volatile primary next year.

“Louisiana and our country face serious challenges,” Cassidy is expected to say in his announcement, according to shared prepared remarks.

”I’m running for reelection to work with the people of Louisiana and my fellow Americans to not just face these challenges, but to make our state and our country even greater,” he will add.

Cassidy has looked to make amends with President Trump after he became one of seven GOP senators to vote to convict the president in his 2021 Senate impeachment trial after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

The two-term GOP senator has since tried to repair his relationship with the president, including backing some of Trump’s more controversial nominees, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his confirmation vote earlier this year.

More recently, Cassidy made several posts on X touting a White House health and tech event Wednesday, including one with a selfie of him at the event.

“Had a front row seat at yesterday’s Health Tech event at the White House. Let’s Make America Healthy Again!” Cassidy wrote.

Cassidy faces a number of challengers on his right, including Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming and state Sen. Blake Miguez, some of whom have criticized Cassidy for his vote to convict Trump in 2021.

Unlike in previous cycles where Senate candidates would compete in a “jungle” primary, Louisiana Senate candidates this year will run in separate GOP and Democratic primaries.

In the past jungle primaries, all candidates running for an office would be listed on the same ballot regardless of party, with the two top vote-getters competing in the general election if no candidate outright won more than half of the vote.

The “jungle” primary makes it easier for more moderate candidates to win reelection, but the switch to partisan primaries makes Cassidy’s path to reelection trickier.

But Cassidy has significant funding to draw upon. He raised $2.1 million between his campaign and joint fundraising committee, with $9 million in the bank to start the third quarter.

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