Sunday shows preview: Trump-Cassidy divisions on display as Louisiana eyes successor

In a big win for former President Donald Trump continued influence, U.S. Representative Julia Letlow has clinched the Republican nomination for Louisiana's U.S. Senate seat, defeating state Treasurer John Fleming in Saturday's runoff election. Letlow, who had Trump's strong backing, will now advance to the November general election, aiming to fill the seat currently held by Senator Bill Cassidy, whom Trump helped unseat in the initial primary. This outcome is a clear sign that Trump's power over the Republican Party remains very strong, especially in state-level primaries. The runoff became a significant test after incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy, who earned Trump's anger by voting to convict him during his 2021 impeachment trial, finished a distant third in the May 16 primary. Letlow campaigned heavily on her alignment with Trump's agenda, emphasizing his endorsement, while Fleming, despite having served in the first Trump administration, struggled to counter Letlow's direct connection to the former President. With the Republican nomination secured, Julia Letlow is now widely favored to win the November general election in the deeply conservative Pelican State. She will face Democrat Jamie Davis, a farmer from northeast Louisiana, in a contest that, given Louisiana's strong Republican lean, is expected to solidify Trump's role in shaping the party's future.