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Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming, who aims to unseat Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., during the Bayou State's 2026 U.S. Senate contest, assailed the incumbent arsenic a "RINO Republican" during an interrogation with Fox News Digital, utilizing the acronym that abbreviates the operation "Republican successful sanction only."
Fleming, who served arsenic a U.S. House lawmaker from aboriginal 2009 done aboriginal 2017, was 1 of the founding members of the blimpish House Freedom Caucus.
He ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate successful 2016 and held respective posts during the archetypal President Donald Trump administration. In 2023, with Trump's endorsement, helium won predetermination to service arsenic the Pelican State's treasurer.
When asked by Fox News Digital to sanction immoderate lawmakers helium mostly aligns with ideologically, Fleming mentioned GOP Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris of Maryland, arsenic good arsenic Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah.
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When asked whether determination are immoderate national departments oregon entities that helium would similar to spot afloat abolished, Fleming replied that if determination are immoderate national entities helium thinks should beryllium eliminated, helium said, "First connected my database would beryllium the Department of Education."
Regarding the indebtedness ceiling, helium said if helium were successful office, helium would question to "leverage" indebtedness ceiling increases to little spending, adding, "I don't deliberation we should rise the indebtedness ceiling."
Fleming indicated that helium supports overseas assistance successful immoderate cases.
"I bash judge successful immoderate level of overseas aid, peculiarly subject overseas aid, erstwhile it's successful the champion involvement of the radical of the United States," helium noted, suggesting that the U.S. should assistance Taiwan and Israel.
Fleming said that America indispensable "be cautious about" involving itself successful affairs abroad. Pointing to Afghanistan and Iraq, helium said, "We look to triumph the wars but suffer the peace."
Fleming indicated that helium is supportive of the TikTok prohibition that passed past year, due to the fact that helium does not judge it is "wise for america to let the Chinese oregon immoderate different overseas power, oregon adjacent our ain government, to spy connected america done our societal media." He opined that the societal media level should beryllium banned until it is nary longer nether the power of the Communist Chinese Party authorities of China.
In Louisiana's jungle superior system, candidates of assorted parties tally against each other, and if immoderate campaigner wins the majority, they triumph predetermination to the relation — but if nary campaigner gets the majority, the apical 2 finishers vie successful a runoff.
When Cassidy ran successful 2014, helium placed 2nd successful a tract that included 7 different candidates, advancing on with incumbent Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu to a runoff, which Cassidy won.
When Cassidy was re-elected successful 2020, helium won the bulk and avoided a runoff, defeating a tract of much than a twelve different candidates.
Cassidy was 1 of the 7 GOP senators who voted to convict President Trump aft the 2021 House impeachment successful the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Trump had already departed from bureau by the clip of the February Senate vote, and the fig of senators who voted to convict yet fell abbreviated of the threshold indispensable for conviction.
During a CNN quality that the outlet shared connected societal media successful 2023, Cassidy said helium thought Trump should driblet retired of the statesmanlike contest, though the lawmaker noted that the determination was up to Trump, who helium said would suffer to President Joe Biden based connected the polls astatine the time.
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After Trump had go the presumptive GOP statesmanlike nominee past year, Kristin Welker asked Cassidy connected "Meet the Press" whether helium would endorse Trump. The legislator responded by saying that helium planned to ballot for a Republican for president.
Cassidy successful June pledged to enactment with Trump if the campaigner returned to the White House.
"Just met with my colleagues and President Trump. I was elected to enactment for Louisiana and the United States of America. I perpetrate to moving with President Trump if helium is the adjacent president—and it appears helium is going to be—to marque things amended for all," the legislator said successful a connection astatine the time.
He congratulated Trump and Vice President JD Vance connected their inaugurations earlier this week.
"Today, the American radical commencement winning again. Republicans are going to unafraid the border, unleash American energy, and support American manufacturing," helium noted successful the statement. "Congratulations to President Trump and Vice President Vance. Let’s get to work!"
The lawmaker, who has served successful the U.S. Senate for conscionable implicit a decade, antecedently served successful the U.S. House of Representatives.
Trump endorsed Cassidy erstwhile the legislator sought re-election successful 2020, thanking him for supporting the Make America Great Again agenda, and praising his "outstanding" enactment representing Louisianans and Americans astatine large.
"THANK YOU @BillCassidy for each of your enactment with our #MAGA Agenda. You are doing an outstanding occupation representing the radical of Louisiana & the U.S.A. You person my Complete and Total Endorsement!" Trump declared successful a post.
In a connection to Fox News Digital, a Cassidy run spokesperson said of Fleming, "He came successful 5th spot past clip helium ran for Senate successful 2016 and presently has $500k successful run debt."
According to a Cassidy run property release, the legislator "raised different $1 cardinal crossed his reelection, leadership, and associated fundraising committees successful the 4th fourth of 2024, bringing his run cash-on-hand to implicit $6.5 million."
The Fleming run responded to the Cassidy spokesperson's remark successful a connection to Fox News Digital.
"The legislature run indebtedness is 100% owed to Treasurer Fleming, personally," Fleming's run noted. "With respect to placement, Sen Cassidy ran against a anemic Republican and a politically-wounded Democrat who had voted for Obamacare among different things. And, helium had the backing of the full Republican Party."
"Treasurer Fleming ran successful an unfastened spot against 23 opponents of each parties, immoderate of whom divided his governmental basal geographically arsenic good arsenic ideologically," the connection continued. "Sen. John Kennedy yet won Fleming's legislature contention arsenic helium was besides the Louisiana State Treasurer and had tally for the Senate earlier arsenic Fleming is currently. What genuinely matters astatine this clip is that Senator Cassidy voted to convict President Trump successful the 2nd impeachment proceedings during Trump's archetypal term. Had Trump been convicted, it would person foreclosed immoderate anticipation to reelect Trump starring to either a 2nd Biden word oregon a Kamala Harris Presidency."
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