{"id":2604060,"date":"2026-05-18T14:54:59","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T18:54:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-favors-strong-dissent-culture-despite-cassidy-loss-johnson\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T14:56:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T18:56:27","slug":"gop-favors-strong-dissent-culture-despite-cassidy-loss-johnson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-favors-strong-dissent-culture-despite-cassidy-loss-johnson\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP favors strong dissent culture despite Cassidy loss: Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-favors-strong-dissent-culture-despite-cassidy-loss-johnson%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2604060&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed claims that Bill Cassidy\u2019s primary defeat shows Donald Trump dominates and suppresses dissent in the GOP. Cassidy lost after Trump endorsed and backed a rival,reacting to Cassidy\u2019s impeachment vote in 2021 and arguing Cassidy hadn\u2019t sufficiently supported Trump\u2019s agenda. Johnson said disagreements still occur across the party-especially in Congress-even if Trump\u2019s influence is powerful in elections like Louisiana\u2019s.  <\/p>\n<p>The article also compares this with other Republicans who sometimes buck Trump, such as Susan Collins, whom Tim Scott and JD Vance praised as an \u201cautonomous\u201d fit for her state. It notes Cassidy became the first GOP senator to lose renomination in nearly a decade, attributing the setback directly to Trump\u2019s anger over Cassidy\u2019s impeachment vote and perceived lack of loyalty.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>House Speaker <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-johnson\/\">Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA) on Sunday pushed aside concerns that Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-cassidy\/\">Bill Cassidy\u2019s<\/a> (R-LA) primary loss signals the Republican Party has become beholden to President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Cassidy <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4571020\/cassidy-loses-reelection-campaign\/\">lost his primary election<\/a> over the weekend after Trump endorsed one of his rivals. Trump made the decision after <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116494574440493725\">expressing outrage<\/a> that the \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/112198571294871461\">very disloyal<\/a>\u201d lawmaker voted to impeach him in 2021. The president has also expressed concern that the senator, a medical doctor who chairs the Senate health committee, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3452427\/rfk-jr-budget-hearing-vaccine-panel-bill-cassidy\/\">failed to show<\/a> adequate support for the White House\u2019s \u201cMake America Great Again\u201d agenda. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4572545\/congress-could-impose-130-annual-fee-electric-vehicle-owners\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Congress could soon impose a $130 annual fee on electric vehicle owners<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4571154\/trump-controversy-china-us-colleges-farmland\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump stirs up controversy over China\u2019s involvement in US colleges and farmland<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4570695\/questions-rep-thomas-kean-jr-house-absent-illness\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Questions mount as Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >remains absent amid undisclosed illness<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>When asked to weigh in on concerns that Cassidy\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/msnbcs-tiffany-cross-democrat-virginia-loss-shows-a-good-chunk-of-voters-ok-with-white-supremacy\/\" title=\"MSNBC&#039;s Tiffany Cross: Democrat Virginia Loss Shows &#039;a Good Chunk of Voters&#039; OK with &#039;White Supremacy&#039;\">loss shows<\/a> there is no room for dissent within Trump\u2019s GOP, Johnson said he still often sees robust disagreements within the party in Congress. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>\u201cYou see dissent here every day. I mean, I deal with it all day long with the smallest margin in history, working through people\u2019s philosophical differences and preferences,\u201d Johnson said during <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uwZp8K1C4Xg\">an appearance<\/a> on <em>Fox News Sunday<\/em>. \u201cBut this is a vibrant party, it\u2019s a strong party. We are in a great position to win the midterms and defy history.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s true that President Trump has a huge influence in [Louisiana], as he does still across the country, and you see that over and over in all these elections,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s the most powerful endorsement in the history of politics, and it continues to be shown.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After the 2024 election, Republicans hailed a \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/3243304\/you-might-not-like-it-but-trump-cabinet-represents-gop\/\">big tent<\/a>\u201d coalition transcending gender, racial, and socio-economic lines, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3222545\/numbers-behind-trump-victory\/\">which helped<\/a> Trump win a second term.<\/p>\n<p>In recent months, some top Republicans have continued to stand by lawmakers running for reelection who appeal to varying factions of the party, despite Trump\u2019s condemnation of incumbents, including Cassidy and Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/thomas-massie\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"17668\">Thomas Massie<\/a> (R-KY), who don\u2019t always adopt the White House\u2019s messaging. <\/p>\n<p>Ahead of the midterm elections, Vice President JD Vance and Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tim-scott\/\">Tim Scott<\/a> (R-SC), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which serves as the upper chamber\u2019s GOP campaign arm, have moved to praise Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1302\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME), a centrist lawmaker known for opposing Trump at times in Congress. <\/p>\n<p>Collins has \u201clearned how to walk to the beat of a different drummer\u201d as a Republican, Scott <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4463968\/tim-scott-georgia-gop-narrow-senate-candidates-ossoff\/\">previously told<\/a> the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, \u201cbut she represents Maine in the way that they deserve.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019s far more moderate than I am, but she is consistent with her state, and so we need to have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sunny-hostin-trump-made-the-republican-party-morally-bankrupt\/\" title=\"Sunny Hostin: ... The ... \u2018Morally Bankrupt\u2019\">big tent party<\/a> that\u2019s tethered to the same value system,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p>Vance admitted during <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4568944\/vance-praises-susan-collins-independence-despite-frustration\/\">a campaign stop<\/a> in Maine last week: \u201cSometimes I get frustrated with Susan Collins. I almost wish that she was more partisan. But the thing I love about Susan is she is independent because <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maine\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"193\">Maine<\/a> is an independent state, and frankly, if she was as partisan as I sometimes wish that she was, she would not be a good fit for the people of Maine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4554546\/cassidy-says-governor-backed-trump-rival-by-not-moving-primary\/\"><strong>CASSIDY SUGGESTS GOVERNOR BOOSTED TRUMP-BACKED RIVAL BY NOT MOVING SENATE PRIMARY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But not every Republican has been as fortunate.\u00a0Cassidy became the first GOP senator to lose renomination in close to a decade on Saturday, after drawing Trump\u2019s ire. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSenator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana \u2026 suffered an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-calls-thomas-massie-worse-than-bill-cassidy-after-defeat\/\" title=\"Trump Calls Thomas Massie &#039;worse&#039; than Bill Cassidy after defeat\">unprecedented loss tonight<\/a> by not even being allowed to run in the Republican Primary,\u201d Trump <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116588075000941546\">said on<\/a> Sunday. \u201cThat\u2019s what you get by voting to Impeach an innocent man, especially one who made it possible for Cassidy\u2019s Senate win. Very disloyal.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>House Speaker Mike Johnson downplayed concerns after Bill Cassidy\u2019s Trump-backed primary loss<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2604061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/johnsoncassidy-e1779122988325.jpg?1779109407&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[79878,13729,6203,4162,50979],"class_list":["post-2604060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-cassidy-loss","tag-dissent","tag-gop","tag-johnson","tag-macron-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/johnsoncassidy-e1779122988325.jpg?1779109407&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2604060","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2604060"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2604060\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2604064,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2604060\/revisions\/2604064"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2604061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2604060"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2604060"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2604060"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}