The primary professions of senator Bill Cassidy in 2026 while representative Julia Letlow considers the race

The representative Julia Letlow is seriously planning to put a main challenge against Senator Bill Cassidy, his republican compatriot of Louisiana, according to three GOP sources close to the issue. And she received encouragement from the White House to jump in the race, two sources said.

Letlow, 44, has carefully weighed on his options in recent months, but has not put a calendar to make a decision, although sources say that it has developed more serious about the idea of ​​presenting itself in the Senate.

Several candidates lined up by Maga are already in the running to face Cassidy, who voted to condemn President Donald Trump for charges of indictment after January 6, 2021, Capitol Riot. Cassidy, a doctor, was recently under the spotlight of the Secretary of Health and Social Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccine policy.

But even with a trio of republican candidates already in the race, Letlow, who was seen meeting a megadoneur of the GOP this week at the Capitol Hill Club, was the subject of recruitment efforts.

She could be a great challenger for Cassidy – especially if she has the support of Trump. One of the GOP sources said that the White House had assured Letlow that her support would be there if she chooses to jump in the race.

The Letlow office refused to comment. The White House also refused comments.

When he was asked if he was worried about losing his seat in the Senate after a high -level hearing with the recently dismissed director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week, Cassidy told NBC News: “I don’t think about it. I mean, I am not. If you do the right thing, that’s why I am hired. I will do the right thing.”

Last week, Letlow withdrew from the race for a leadership position by Louisiana State University, more speculation that she leaned towards the Senate race.

A republican of the room who is close to Letlow said that even if she has taken a serious consideration in the race for the Senate, she still has reservations to abandon her seat in the House and her coveted position on the powerful credit committee. It is also aware of the amount of money it would take to defeat Cassidy, who has the support of the head of the majority of the Senate John Thune, RS.D., and the president of the Républicain National Tim Scott committee of South Carolina.

Trump’s approval would make the way to Letlow much clearer. He has not yet traveled the race and waits to see how the field develops, according to two of the GOP sources. The sources also said that the White House feared that Trump would be involved in the primary, especially too early, could alienate Cassidy, who chairs a key committee and provided hinged votes for the GOP this year – in particular to confirm Kennedy in his cabinet post.

Three other Republicans are already looking for the siege of Cassidy in 2026: the treasurer of the State John Fleming, former member of the Congress; The state senator Blake Miguez; And the state commissioner Eric Skrmetta, former co -president of Trump’s presidential campaigns in Louisiana.

If Letlow was to jump, “she would jump very quickly at the top of the pack,” said the republican strategist of Louisiana, James Hartman, who is not involved in the race for the Senate.

“She has an extremely good name ID and an extremely positive reputation throughout the state, not only in her district,” said Harris, noting that her congress district was recently redesigned to take part in red baton, increasing her profile in a state of voting.

Harris also noted that the death of the husband of Letlow in 2020 was a new on the level of the state. Luke Letlow won a headquarters at Congress in November 2020 but died of COVVI-19 complications a month later, before he could take office. Julia Letlow won a special election to replace him at Congress. She was a vocal supporter of the covored vaccines, urging skeptical Republicans to be vaccinated.

Harris said he did not believe that plea would be a problem in primary school among conservative voters who could be more critical of vaccines, saying: “I think all of his positive points have overcome it.”

However, some wonder if Trump will finally support a candidate against Cassidy, taking into account his important position in the congress.

“With Senator Cassidy presiding over an important senatorial committee, I am not convinced that President Trump would like to make an approval,” said Louisiana’s soundste John Couvillion, who said he had worked with Fleming, Letlow and Miguez in the past.

Even if Trump remains outside the race, Cassidy still faced questions about his support for Trump after joining six other Republicans in the Senate to condemn him during his accusation trial in 2021.

And this election, Louisiana has implemented a more traditional primary system for the breeds of Congress, in which candidates must compete in a closed party vote for the appointments of their parties. If no candidate wins the majority of votes, the primary is decided in a runoff between the two best votes.