Congresswoman Julia Letlow triumphantly clinched the GOP runoff in Louisiana, decisively pulling ahead of former Congressman and current State Treasurer John Fleming. This success was largely attributed to her commanding lead in early and absentee voting coupled with diminished voter participation on election day.
Decision Desk HQ projects Julia Letlow wins the Louisiana US Senate Republican Runoff#DecisionMade: 9:40 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/gQJGzMjn5e
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 28, 2026
Supported by political heavyweights including President Donald Trump and Governor Jeff Landry, Letlow is well-positioned to become Louisiana’s next Senator. She is set to succeed Bill Cassidy, who, despite his tenure, ranked third during the party’s primary back in May.
READ MORE: Louisiana Voters Just Ended Bill Cassidy’s Senate Career After Two Terms and One Key Vote
Letlow managed to secure a significant advantage through early and absentee balloting in an election predicted to see turnout figures ranging in the mid-teens. Forecasters estimated the voter participation to land between 14-17%, aligning with subdued early voting numbers. Inclement weather hampered efforts in some regions, while other areas reported a general lack of voter interest.
The president’s endorsement of Letlow played a big role in her early lead. She came out of the primary with a 17-point lead over Fleming. Polling leading up to Saturday’s vote was mixed, with some polls suggesting Fleming was within striking distance. With 50% of the vote in, however, she had a 10-point advantage over Fleming with seemingly no path to close the gap.
Newcomer Jamie Davis handily took the Democrat Party runoff and will head to November to meet Letlow in a general election. But the path for him is possibly worse than Fleming’s. Louisiana is a deep red state and is unlikely to elect a Democrat statewide, though the party did come together to back him quickly. Davis has run on his background as a black farmer and businessman, as well as being a gun owner, to bring the party together. But the path to victory is seemingly impossible.
Letlow’s win does show there is strength in the Trump endorsement still, but it also shows tremendous power in Governor Jeff Landry’s political machine. Landry reportedly convinced the president to endorse Letlow before she even announced, and Landry’s allied PACs did the bulk of the heavy lifting in attacking Fleming.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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