MAHA PAC Spends $600,000 to Oust Bill Cassidy as Vaccine Rift Roils Louisiana Primary
Updated
Updated · NBC News · May 14
MAHA PAC Spends $600,000 to Oust Bill Cassidy as Vaccine Rift Roils Louisiana Primary
2 articles · Updated · NBC News · May 14
$600,000 in late spending from MAHA PAC has intensified the push to unseat Sen. Bill Cassidy before Saturday’s Louisiana Republican primary, backing Trump-endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow with ads, mailers and texts.
The offensive centers on Cassidy’s clash with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s movement: the physician-senator is pro-vaccine, has publicly challenged Kennedy on vaccine policy, and was blamed by Trump and Kennedy allies for blocking Casey Means for surgeon general.
Tony Lyons had pledged $1 million through the PAC, making Letlow’s race an early test of whether the MAHA wing can punish Republicans it sees as out of line with its health agenda.
Cassidy has tried to narrow the fight, saying Louisiana voters are not focused on MAHA issues and arguing he shares the movement’s views on ultraprocessed foods even as he defends vaccines amid measles outbreaks.
When health advice becomes a political battleground, who can Americans trust for reliable information?
As vaccine policies diverge, are we entering a new era of localized, preventable disease outbreaks?
Will the government's new war on 'ultra-processed foods' reshape the American diet for the better?
Louisiana Republican Senate Primary 2026: Cassidy vs. Letlow, Trump’s Influence, and the $1 Million MAHA Health Policy Showdown
Overview
The Louisiana Republican Senate primary on May 16, 2026, is a high-stakes contest shaped by Senator Bill Cassidy’s 2021 vote to convict President Trump after the Capitol attack. This decision has become the central issue, with challenger Julia Letlow capitalizing on it and gaining Trump’s enthusiastic endorsement. The recent shift from a jungle primary to a semi-closed system has weakened Cassidy, who now faces a tougher race among Republicans and independents. Letlow’s campaign, boosted by Trump’s support and the new primary rules, highlights the deep divisions and shifting loyalties within Louisiana’s Republican Party.