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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMaddowBlog-Trump got his revenge against Cassidy, but will Cassidy get his revenge against Trump?
Interesting things happen when members lose primaries and suddenly have the opportunity to do as they please.
Thereâs been plenty of focus on Trump getting his revenge against Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-05-18T18:00:23.096Z
But I think the next question is whether Cassidy, with 230 days remaining in his term, might also get some revenge against Trump.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/bill-cassidy-revenge-trump-primary
MS NOWs report highlighted a notable quote from the senators concession speech:
When you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesnt turn out the way you want it to. But you dont pout, you dont whine, you dont claim the election was stolen, Cassidy said as applause from supporters overtook him in a speech after his loss.
In the same concession speech, the Louisiana Republican added, Let me just set the record straight: Our country is not about one individual. It is about the welfare of all Americans, and it is about our Constitution. And if someone doesnt understand that and attempts to control others by using the levers of power, theyre about serving themselves. Theyre not about serving us. And that person is not qualified to be a leader.....
For the past year and a half, Cassidy, desperate to keep his job and avoid becoming the first elected senator to lose a primary in more than a decade, has kept his head down, sticking to a partisan script and avoiding confrontations with the White House.
But the Louisianans term doesnt end for another 230 days.
Its possible, of course, that Cassidy, whos been a conservative throughout his two-decade career in elected office, will keep voting as hes been voting and will just coast through the next six months in relative obscurity. But its also possible that the senator who chairs a powerful committee will build on the kinds of sentiments he shared in his concession speech and become a real thorn in the side of the president who ended his career.
When we think about the kinds of GOP senators who are occasionally willing to show some hints of independent thinking, we tend to focus on members such as Alaskas Lisa Murkowski, Kentuckys Rand Paul and Maines Susan Collins. Since Trump returned to power, few have seen Cassidy as part of this contingent. Dont be surprised if that soon changes.
LetMyPeopleVote
(182,239 posts)This made me smile
BREAKING: The Senate has advanced a bill to block trump's war in Iran. Republicans have blocked multiple war powers resolutions, but this time Bill Cassidy, fresh off his primary election loss, flipped and voted FOR it. apnews.com/article/trum...
— Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.com) 2026-05-19T22:00:21.410Z
https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-war-senate-bill-cassidy-fe89d2df981a79ac816722d0115d3080
Since Trump ordered the attack on Iran at the end of February, Democrats have forced repeated votes on war powers resolutions that would require him to either gain congressional approval for the war or withdraw troops. Republicans had been able to muster the votes to reject those proposals, but Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy fresh off a primary election loss in which Trump endorsed his opponent switched sides to deliver a crucial vote to advance the legislation.
The 50-47 vote tally demonstrated the small but crucial number of Republicans voting to halt the war with Iran. The legislation will get a vote on final passage, but the timing was not immediately clear. There were also Republican Senate absences Tuesday that would be enough to defeat it, if those lawmakers maintained their stance on the war.
mopinko
(73,968 posts)LuvLoogie
(8,931 posts)and homeless and killed Lebanese families appreciate his conditional principles.
newdeal2
(5,629 posts)His future is to become sort of lobbyist, and to be effective in that role requires not upsetting Trump.