Joe DePaoloMay 17th, 2026, 7:29 am

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) — after losing his primary election Saturday night — took a few veiled swipes at President Donald Trump, who endorsed his opponent.

In his concession speech after failing to qualify for a June runoff in the race, Cassidy voiced his disappointment but accepted the outcome — and called out others who don’t handle election defeats the same way.

“When you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to,” the senator said. “But you don’t pout. You don’t whine. You don’t claim the election was stolen.”

That remark was met with cheers from the audience at Cassidy’s Baton Rouge election night headquarters. And the senator wasn’t done going after the president.

“I’m also asked if I am bothered by being attacked on the internet,” Cassidy said. Insults only bother me if they come from somebody of character and integrity. And I find that people of character and integrity don’t spent their time attacking people on the internet.”

Trump regarded Cassidy as an enemy for voting to convict him in the Senate in 2021 for inciting an insurrection. The Louisiana Senator also pushed back on various Trump nominees. Notably, Cassidy — a licensed physician — expressed concern about the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, before ultimately voting to confirm him.

Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA), who was endorsed by Trump, and state treasurer John Fleming finished ahead of Cassidy to advance to the June runoff. The president celebrated Cassidy’s defeat Saturday night — writing on Truth Social that Cassidy’s “political career is OVER!”

But while the president may be excited about the long-term prospect of another Republican replacing Cassidy, the Louisiana senator’s defeat could complicate life for Trump in the short-term. In a chamber where Republicans hold a slim 53-47 majority Cassidy joins Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) as a Republican leaving office at the end of the term — making him presumably more likely to oppose Trump on various measures. With Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) facing his own tough primary battle, and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in a tight general election race against Democrat Graham Platner, the math in the senate could soon get very complicated for the president.

Watch above.

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