Multiple Louisiana voters who cast ballots in the GOP primary at a Baton Rouge polling place Saturday described themselves as voting for or against Cassidy, rather than in support of another candidate. And those voting against Cassidy zeroed in on his vote to convict Trump’s during the Jan. 6 impeachment trial.
“He tried to impeach Trump, and Trump helped him get elected. That’s pretty low,” said Elias Jacob FaKouri, who backed Fleming. “It is time for him to go. I mean, until he did that, I didn’t know any better, and yes, I voted for him, but since I’ve seen that, no.”
Asked if he felt Cassidy betrayed the president, Jason Fontenot, another Fleming supporter, said, “So much so that I’m here to vote him out more than to vote someone in.”
“You don’t go side with the other Democrats, and you think you’re gonna be politically good in the future, and think that’s gonna be okay for us to let you back in here in Louisiana,” he added.
Election commissioners preparing voting equipment at a polling location in New Orleans on Saturday. Wayan Barre / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Those supporting Cassidy praised the two-term senator for making “independent decisions” rather than toeing the party line.
“It shows that he’s less influenced by a party, which I like,” said Donny Gutierrez. “I think we need a lot more of that.”
“It’s important to have members of a party that are willing to stand up to leadership, so that a party does not conform to national interests only and actually represent the state,” Matthew Mueller said.