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Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming declares bid to run for U.S. Sen. Invoice Cassidy’s seat


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Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, a Republican and appointee of Donald Trump’s throughout his first time period as president, has introduced that he’ll run for U.S. Senate within the hopes of unseating present member Invoice Cassidy, additionally a Republican, who’s up for reelection in 2026.

In a information launch Wednesday, Fleming mentioned that U.S. Sen. Cassidy “has failed the folks of Louisiana.” He lambasted the lawmaker for being one in all seven Republicans in Senate who joined Democrats in voting to convict Trump within the then-President’s impeachment trial after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.

“A variety of Republicans walked away from President Trump within the final 12 months of his first time period,” Fleming, 73, mentioned. “However those that turned their backs on him and America First weren’t dedicated to his combat to make America nice.”

Cassidy, who’s in his second time period, is up for reelection in reliably crimson Louisiana, the place residents overwhelmingly supported Trump in the course of the previous three presidential elections. Whereas Cassidy, 67, received his final election handily, he didn’t face one other well-known GOP candidate.

As well as, the election occurred earlier than Cassidy’s vote to convict Trump — a transfer that resulted within the lawmaker being trashed on social media and censured by Louisiana Republicans.

Whereas Cassidy has not but formally introduced that he’ll search a 3rd time period, Joe Ramallo, a spokesperson for the senator, instructed The Related Press on Thursday that the Republican has mentioned “a number of instances that he’s operating for reelection.” He added that when the time comes “to concentrate on the marketing campaign” Cassidy “will see who continues to be within the race.”

As well as, Cassidy’s crew touted his current work — together with assembly with Trump’s choose to guide the Veterans Affairs Division, securing tax aid for victims of pure disasters and “pushed (Senate Majority Chief) Chuck Schumer to carry a vote to repeal” the Windfall Elimination Penalty and Authorities Pension Offset. The insurance policies broadly scale back funds to 2 teams of Social Safety recipients: individuals who additionally obtain a pension from a job that’s not coated by Social Safety and surviving spouses of Social Safety recipients who obtain a authorities pension of their very own.

Fleming’s bid marks an early starting for his marketing campaign. It’s an effort return to Capitol Hill, the place he served within the U.S. Home for four-terms starting in 2009. As an alternative of searching for reelection, Fleming unsuccessfully ran for a U.S. Senate seat, shedding to then-Treasurer John Kennedy.

After Congress, Fleming spent a number of years serving within the Trump administration, together with as deputy assistant secretary on the Division of Well being and Human Providers and as assistant secretary of commerce for financial growth. Final 12 months, he was elected to the place of Louisiana Treasurer and assumed workplace in January 2024.

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