Julia Letlow skips House votes as Louisiana Senate primary nears
Rep. Julia Letlow, backed by President Donald Trump in Louisiana’s GOP Senate primary, missed every House vote this week-12 straight roll calls since the chamber returned from recess. While Sen. Bill Cassidy voted in all Senate roll calls, the state’s primary is set for Saturday. Letlow’s office did not provide comment to the *Washington Examiner*.
the article also notes that Letlow did not vote on a Wednesday bill to allow year-round sales of E15 ethanol blend, a measure that passed 218-203 and split Louisiana Republicans between higher costs for small refineries and lower gasoline prices for rural farmers.
Separately, Letlow visited VieMed Healthcare, a sleep clinic in Lafayette, and Trump urged her earlier in the year to challenge Cassidy. The piece describes ongoing friction between Trump and Cassidy tied to Cassidy’s vote during Trump’s second impeachment trial, along with later disputes over trump’s surgeon general nomination.
Polling cited suggests Letlow and rival John Fleming lead but neither tops 50% to avoid a runoff. The primary will proceed as scheduled despite Louisiana pursuing congressional redistricting after a Supreme Court Voting Rights Act decision, and Gov. Jeff Landry suspended state House elections while allowing the Senate race to continue.
Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA), whom President Donald Trump endorsed in Louisiana’s Senate race, has missed every vote in the House this week.
Letlow has missed 12 roll call votes since Tuesday, when the House returned from a one-week recess. The Louisiana Republican is running against Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and State Treasurer John Fleming in one of the GOP’s most competitive Senate primaries this cycle.
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Cassidy has voted in all 10 votes taken in the Senate this week. Louisiana’s Senate primary is scheduled for Saturday. The Washington Examiner has reached out to Letlow’s office for comment.
Among the legislation Letlow did not vote on this week was a bill to allow year-round sales of the ethanol blend E15, pushed for by farm-state Republicans. The bill, which did not earn the support of her fellow Louisiana Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), passed 218-203 on Wednesday.
The legislation divided oil-state Republicans, who argued it would raise costs for smaller refineries. Rural Republicans, meanwhile, argued the move would lower gasoline costs for farmers.
Letlow’s Senate campaign account on X shows she visited VieMed Healthcare, a sleep clinic in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Wednesday.
“Enjoyed spending time at VieMed today and speaking with hardworking Louisianans who keep our state moving forward,” a post on Letlow’s Facebook reads. “Their work ethic, values, and love for Louisiana are exactly why I’m fighting so hard for our future.”
A representative for VieMed confirmed the visit and told the Washington Examiner that the clinic was “pulling” for her in the Senate race.
Trump encouraged Letlow to launch her campaign against Cassidy earlier this year, calling her a “TOTAL” winner in a Jan. 17 Truth Social post.
Trump and Cassidy have a long-standing feud stemming from the Louisiana senator’s vote to convict the president during his second impeachment trial over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. More recently, Trump blamed Cassidy for blocking his surgeon general pick, Casey Means, and forcing him to withdraw her nomination.
Recent polling shows Letlow and Fleming in the lead, though neither breaks the 50% threshold to avoid a runoff.
The Senate primary is continuing as scheduled despite Louisiana’s pursuit of gerrymandering congressional districts in response to the Supreme Court’s landmark Louisiana v. Callais ruling that weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
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Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA), who is supporting Letlow, suspended the state’s House elections on April 30, but noted the Senate race and ballot measures would still be voted on as scheduled.
Letlow has represented Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District since 2021.
Ramsey Touchberry contributed to this report.
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