Bill Cassidy discusses reelection plans while blistering Louisiana closed party primary law

Republican Louisiana U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy said he anticipates running for reelection in 2026 during the state's first congressional closed party primary congressional contests, but continued to criticize the new law that he says "makes his blood boil."

Cassidy told reporters Tuesday on a conference call that he isn't ready to make a formal reelection announcement but that he is doing "all of the things" in preparation for another run.

Cassidy won his second term in a 2020 landslide under the state's current open primary system, but was censured by the state Republican Party after his vote to convict former President Trump in his second impeachment trial.

Some political analysts believe that could make Cassidy vulnerable to a Republican challenger in a closed party primary system in which only Republicans and voters who aren't members of any party can vote with the winner moving on to a general election against a Democrat.

But Cassidy expressed confidence in his political future.

"I anticipate winning my next statewide election," Louisiana's senior senator said.

That didn't stop him from blasting the new law that will reshape the state's election system for some offices, including federal offices, passed by the Louisiana Legislature this month in a Special Session and signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry as one of his priorities.

Cassidy has been the most prominent critic of the new law while it was being debated and after it passed.

He said the new system will unnecessarily increase costs and could disenfranchise many of the state's more than 600,000 voters who aren't members of any political party. The new system is expected to cost an additional $61 million over three years and $135 million over 10 years.

"So we're going to spend all of that money on elections while the state is facing a deficit (in the next fiscal year)," Cassidy said. "I'm a fiscal conservative. I can think of a lot of other ways this money could be spent."

Cassidy said the new system excludes voters "who aren't members of a club."

"It excludes thousands from being able to vote in the primary event though they're paying taxes (to hold the elections)," he said. "My hope is the legislators will reconsider and ... do what is right."

Cassidy has built a reputation as bipartisan dealmaker in Washington, one of a handful of senators on either side of the aisle who are able to give traction to stalled legislation.

In 2021 he was among the architects of the popular $1.2 trillion infrastructure package under Democratic President Joe Biden and before that he helped advance the first COVID relief package under former Republican President Donald Trump.

In 2022 he joined with nine other Republicans and 10 Democrats to create the most significant gun safety legislation in 30 years.

More: Speaker Mike Johnson, Cassidy, Kennedy blast Biden for order to delay Louisiana LNG project

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Will Bill Cassidy run for reelection in closed party primary he hates?