Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Monroe, and Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming debated on a statewide conservative radio talk show. They are two of the main candidates in the GOP Senate Primary. The 90-minute debate followed the start of early voting on Saturday.
Two-term incumbent Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy did not take part in the debate held on The Moon Griffon Show on Tuesday. As the Louisiana Radio Network reports, Fleming criticized Letlow for not coming out publicly to question the results of the 2020 presidential race. “Well, we’ve researched Julia Letlow’s statements about this, and we can find nothing where she actually defended President Trump during lawfare, and furthermore she said that Biden was the legitimately elected President. I disagree with it.”
As for why Fleming might ask Lelow that particular question? A new Reuters-Ipsos poll finds that 63% of Republicans still believe the 2020 election was stolen from President Trump. That same poll shows 82% of Republicans believe large numbers of fraudulent ballots are cast by non-citizens in U.S. elections. That’s despite repeated audits and academic research that finds cases of voting fraud are exceedingly rare.
Despite Fleming’s allusion to Letlow’s perceived lack of fidelity to President Trump, the president had already issued a preemptive endorsement of the three-term, 5th District Congresswoman before she even declared her candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat, and even urged her to jump in.
Letlow even took a jab at Sen. Cassidy, in what she characterized as Cassidy’s horrible decision in 2021, in which he voted to convict then-former President Trump for his actions in the midst of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. As Letlow explained, “When I was campaigning six years ago, everywhere I went across the state, people were so angry with Cassidy for casting that vote to not only impeach the President, but to assent to convict him.”
Fleming, a Minden, Louisiana family doctor and businessman, who also represented Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District for four terms [2009-2017], wanted to clear the air about a recent attack ad against him. The ad has video of Fleming saying there are not enough illegal aliens in the U.S., when talking about the need for migrant workers. During the radio debate, Fleming made his position clear on support for secure borders saying, “I’ve spoken out against illegal immigration, and my voting record is far superior. NumbersUSA: 96% pro-border security and anti-illegal immigration. Julia Letlow’s is a dismal 65%.”
During the same radio interview, Letlow also pushed back against claims of her support and endorsement of Diversity, Equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. She cited her five years working against the DEI movement. “Now, I was in higher education and I saw it firsthand how the left completely highjacked it, turned it into something that I don’t think it was ever meant to be, an indoctrination of our kids, Marxism, talking about holding people down,” added Letlow.
Early voting for the Saturday, May 16 Louisiana primary ends May 9.
