Cassidy primary shows how Trump pits Republicans against each other as they face midterm reckoning
President Donald Trump is fighting a two-front war at the outset of this year’s midterm campaigns, working to prevent Democratic victories while also attempting to purge the Republican Party of the few remaining members who have defied him. Sen. Bill Cassidy became Trump’s latest target on Tuesday when Rep. Julia Letlow announced a primary challenge with the president’s endorsement. Cassidy had been unable to work his way back into Trump’s good graces after voting to convict the president during his 2021 impeachment trial after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The race puts Trump directly at odds with Senate Republican leadership. Trump has also declined to endorse Sen. John Cornyn in a Texas primary and Sen. Susan Collins in Maine.