2026 United States Senate election in Louisiana

Republican

Democratic | | | | Republican | Democratic | | | | | | | | | Republican | Democratic | | | | | | Incumbent U.S. senator Bill Cassidy Republican | Incumbent U.S. senator Bill Cassidy Republican | | | | | | Incumbent U.S. senator Bill Cassidy Republican | | | | | |

The 2026 United States Senate election in Louisiana will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Louisiana. Party primary elections were held on May 16, 2026, and a Republican runoff is scheduled for June 27 between Julia Letlow and John Fleming. Incumbent Republican senator Bill Cassidy, who was re-elected in 2020, ran for a third term but his vote to convict Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial led to primary challenges against him. He lost in the first round of the primary.

Cassidy is the first elected incumbent senator to lose renomination since Richard Lugar in 2012 and the first to place third or worse in a primary since Hattie Caraway in 1944. With the enactment of House Bill 17 in 2024, the race became the first U.S. Senate election in Louisiana to utilize party primaries instead of a single blanket primary since 2010. Louisiana has been represented in the U.S. Senate exclusively by Republicans since 2015, and Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate election there since 2008.

In January 2024, governor Jeff Landry signed House Bill 17, sponsored by representative Julie Emerson, which eliminated the top-two Louisiana primary system in favor of partisan primaries in elections for Congress, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Public Service Commission, and the Supreme Court. Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primaries, but not members of other parties, including the Independent Party of Louisiana. The bill also indicated the use of runoff elections if no candidate receives a majority in their respective primary. The law is to take effect beginning with the 2026 elections, making this election the first in which Louisiana will elect a U.S. senator using this system since 2010; the top-two primary was first implemented in congressional elections in 1978.

Senator Bill Cassidy, who has held this seat since 2015, has gained notoriety within the Republican Party for his vocal criticism of President Donald Trump. Cassidy denounced the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack, accused participants of sedition, and voted to certify the 2020 election results. He was one of seven Senate Republicans to vote to convict Trump for incitement of insurrection during his second impeachment trial, prompting the Republican Party of Louisiana to censure him. During Trump's 2024 campaign, Cassidy publicly opposed his candidacy, citing Trump's four criminal indictments.

Cassidy's stance has led analysts to view him as vulnerable to a pro-Trump primary challenge. Early speculation included Congressman Clay Higgins, a supporter of Trump, who ultimately declined to run. On January 18, 2026, Trump endorsed Julia Letlow, who officially entered the race two days later.

• John Fleming, state treasurer (2024–present), former U.S. representative from Louisiana's 4th congressional district (2009–2017), and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016

• Julia Letlow, U.S. representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district (2021–present)

• Bill Cassidy, incumbent U.S. senator (2015–present)

• Mark Spencer

• Julie Emerson, state representative from the 39th district (2016–present)

• Blake Miguez, state senator from the 22nd district (2024–present) (running for U.S. House)

• Kathy Seiden, St. Tammany Parish councilor (endorsed Letlow)

• Eric Skrmetta, member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission from the 1st district (2009–present) (endorsed Letlow)

• Sammy Wyatt, healthcare professional (running for LA-05)

• Clay Higgins, U.S. representative from Louisiana's 3rd congressional district (running for re-election)

Italics indicated a withdrew, declined, or eliminated candidate.

Aggregate polls

Unofficial results by parish   Letlow   30–40%   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   Fleming   40–50%   Cassidy   30–40%   40–50%   60–70%

• Gary Crockett, data scientist and political consultant

• Jamie Davis, farmer and candidate for Louisiana's 21st House of Representatives district in 2023

• Nick Albares, nonprofit executive and former aide to Governor John Bel Edwards

• Tracie Burke, political consultant

• Jabarie Walker, former chief of staff for the Housing Authority of New Orleans

• John Bel Edwards, former governor of Louisiana (2016–2024) and former minority leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives (2012–2015) from the 72nd district (2008–2015) (endorsed Albares)

• Mitch Landrieu, former senior advisor to the president for Infrastructure Investment & Jobs (2021–2024), former mayor of New Orleans (2010–2018), former lieutenant governor of Louisiana (2004–2010), and former state representative (1988–2004)

• Jay Luneau, state senator from the 29th district (2016–present)

Italics indicated a withdrew or declined candidate.

Unofficial results by parish   Davis   30–40%   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90%

• Jamie "Kim" LaBranche, write-in candidate

Partisan clients

Official campaign websites

• Nick Albares (D)
• Gary Crockett (D)
• Jamie Davis (D)
• John Fleming (R)
• Jamie LaBranche (AP)
• Julia Letlow (R)