Louisiana’s Primary System Puts More Pressure on Bill Cassidy to Make a Hard-Right Turn

The state’s move to a closed primary could weed out moderates, although its backers insist that wasn’t the intention.

Bill Cassidy 2025

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Louisiana’s new primary system could make it harder for moderates to win — and push Sen. Bill Cassidy to the right.

The state’s new closed-primary system is another complication in an already fraught potential reelection bid. Cassidy is under pressure from conservatives over his confirmation votes, particularly whether he will support Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health and human services secretary, and alleged lack of loyalty to President Donald Trump after voting to impeach him in 2021.

Backers of the primary system change told NOTUS it wasn’t meant to root out moderates. But it could hurt candidates like Cassidy, state political experts said.