The runoffs in the U.S. Senate races are set. On the GOP side, it’s Julia Letlow against John Fleming; and on the Democratic side, it appears to be Jamie Davis against Gary Crockett. According to unofficial numbers, Crockett finished 284 votes ahead of Nick Albares; Albares has until 4:30 tomorrow to ask for a recount.

Two political analysts say it’s no surprise that Senator Bill Cassidy didn’t even make the runoff. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

For the second year in a row, voters said no to every constitutional amendment on the ballot by a wide margin. Melinda Deslatte with the Public Affairs Research Council says voters do not have the time to research these issues to make informed decisions.

Cut 7 (11) “…on in life.”

All five amendments failed by a minimum of 16 points, with the one to remove certain employees from the civil service division failing by a whopping 56 points.

Attorney General Liz Murrill announces that 60 registered sex offenders in the greater Baton Rouge area have been arrested as part of a major internet sex crimes operation called “Operation Restricted Domain.” Murrill says these offenders violated sex offender registration laws and engaged in unlawful online activity by communicating with children through various apps…

Cut 12 (08) “…Roblox.”

For the second year in a row, Louisiana voters emphatically say no to all proposed constitutional amendments. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Amendment Three is one of the amendments that failed. It would have freed up money to provide teachers with a pay raise. For the last couple of years, a portion of a teacher’s salary has been considered a stipend. Governor Jeff Landy said today that if teachers do not get a pay raise, no one in state government will get a pay raise.

A third-place finish in the Senate Republican Primary likely means that Senator Bill Cassidy’s political career will end when his term ends after the first of the year. Before he was a politician, Doctor Cassidy practiced medicine and UNO political science professor Ed Chervenak says Cassidy performing policy work in the health care arena could be his next move…

Cut 10 (11) “…health policy.”

Cassidy is 68 years old and he’s either been a state legislator or Congressman since 2006.

The Louisiana Attorney General’s office announces the arrest of 60 registered sex offenders in the capital city area for violating sex offender registration laws by communicating with children on the internet. Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre says state law is clear, if you are a registered sex offender as a result of a crime against children, you cannot use social media platforms, chat rooms and peer-to-peer networks…

Cut 13 (09) “…at all.”

Bill Cassidy’s 12-year run in the U.S. Senate is coming to an end with his third-place finish in the GOP Senate primary. UNO political science professor Ed Chervenak says Cassidy’s political future actually ended five years ago when he voted to convict then-former President Trump for his role in the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

Cut 11 (12) “…endorse Cassidy. .”

So with Cassidy out of the mix, it’s Julia Letlow against John Fleming in the June 27th runoff to represent the Republican Party in the November general election. Fleming doesn’t have Trump’s endorsement, but he did serve in his first administration. And the State Treasurer’s campaign has been mostly self-funded.

Cut 15 (11) “…powerful politician.”

For the second year in a row, Louisiana voters say no to a constitutional amendment that would have given teachers a permanent pay raise. Governor Landry posted on social media today that if the legislature does not come up with a way to fund a pay raise for them, no public employee will get a pay raise. Melinsa Deslatte with the Public Affairs Research Council says she doesn’t know exactly what Landry means by that.

Cut 8 (11) “…get pay raises?”

A Lafayette toddler drowns in a bathtub over the weekend. Investigators say 50-year-old Dawn Lee was the guardian of three-year-old Khaine Natto. They say she left him unsupervised in a bathtub and later found him unresponsive; Natto was rushed to a hospital but did not survive. Lafayette Police Senior Corporal Ken Handy says Lee was booked into jail.

Cut 5 (04) “…of negligent homicide.”

Julia Letlow and John Fleming move on, and Bill Cassidy does not. After the vote Saturday, Letlow was asked about the impact of Cassidy’s vote to convict Trump in 2021 and how that impacted the results of primary…

Cut 13 (11)  “…tonight’s result.”

Cassidy’s third place finish in Saturday’s Senate Republican Primary likely means the end of his political career. The 68-year-old from Baton Rouge failed to make the run-off as he was seeking a third term in the U-S Senate. UNO political science professor Ed Chervenak is not surprised Cassidy finished behind Julia Letlow and John Fleming…

Cut 9 (08)  “…momentum.”

Meanwhile on the Democratic side, it’s going to be Jamie Davis and likely Gary Crockett.

For the second year in a row, voters said no to every constitutional amendment on the ballot by a wide margin. All five amendments failed by a minimum of 16 points, with the one to remove certain employees from the civil service division failing by a whopping 56 points. Melinda Deslatte with the Public Affairs Research Council says there are several reasons why voters turned aside all five amendments. 

Cut 6 (14) “…every election cycle.”

A Lafayette toddler drowns in a bathtub and the woman who was in charge of caring for him is arrested. Lafayette Police Senior Corporal Ken Handy says 50-year-old Dawn Lee left the bathroom to conduct some other business in the home and returned to a horrifying sight.

Cut 4 (04) “…inside the bathtub.”

Three-year-old Khaine Natto was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Lee is charged with one count of negligent homicide.

Bill Cassidy has become the second U.S. Senator in Louisiana’s history not to be re-elected in the last 94 years. Cassidy finished third in the Senate Republican Primary, while Julia Letlow and John Fleming advance to a June 27th run-off. Cassidy addressed his supporters Saturday night and took a subtle dig at President Trump.

Cut 10 (16) “…stolen.”

Fleming did several interviews with media outlets across the state and is already on the attack.

Cut 14 (14) “ itself.”

Tragedy in Lafayette over the weekend, as a toddler drowns in a bathtub and the woman who was in charge of caring for him is arrested. Lafayette Police Senior Corporal Ken Handy says officers found three-year-old Khaine Natto unresponsive inside the bathtub.

Cut 3 (05) “…inside the bathtub.”

Corporal Handy says the guardian, 50-year-old Dawn Lee, left the bathroom to conduct some other business in the home and returned to discover Khaine unresponsive. Lee was arrested on one count of negligent homicide.

A bill seeking to crack down on mixing imported shrimp with domestically-caught shrimp and passing the whole lot off as domestic shrimp is awaiting Governor Landry’s signature. Lafitte Representative Tim Kerner authored House Bill 857, which passed in both houses without a single dissenting vote. Kerner says his bill calls for substantial penalties.

Cut 6 (04) “…third offense 50-thousand.”  

Julia Letlow and John Fleming move on to the runoff in the GOP Senate primary, and Bill Cassidy’s days in the Senate are now numbered. Addressing her supporters on election night, Letlow said President Trump’s support helped her withstand 26-million dollars in negative advertisements against her.

Cut 11 (11) “…negativity.”

Cassidy finished third with 25-percent of the vote; his fate appearing to have been sealed five years ago when he voted to convict then-former President Trump in his second impeachment trial. LSU political science professor Larry Hogan says the results of this primary election proves that for Republican voters, it seems like there’s only one thing that matters.

Cut 8 (11) “…for other elections.”

While John Fleming is moving on, he has significant ground to make up, racking up 28-percent of the vote, less than 14-thousand votes more than Cassidy. Fleming doesn’t have the endorsement of President Trump, but he did serve in his first administration. And the State Treasurer’s campaign has been mostly self-funded.

Cut 15 (11) “…powerful politician.”

In other news, a bill seeking to crack down on a way to skirt Louisiana’s seafood labeling laws is awaiting Governor Landry’s signature. It’s called co-mingling – mixing imported shrimp with domestically-caught shrimp and passing the whole lot off as domestic shrimp. Cheri Blanchard, a Louisiana board member of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, says it’s sometimes unclear exactly who is doing this in order to sell the shrimp at a premium price and keep the profits.

Cut 5 (10) “…be doing that.”

Republican Bill Cassidy is the second U.S. Senator in Louisiana’s history not to be re-elected in the last 94 years. Cassidy finished third in the Senate Republican Primary, while Congresswoman Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming advance to a June 27th run-off. In his concession speech, Cassidy did not mention Trump’s name, but said the country is not about one individual. Louisiana’s outgoing US Senator added he was loyal to the welfare of U-S and Louisiana citizens and the Constitution.

Cut 12 (14) “…be a leader.”

Congresswoman Letlow was asked about the impact of Cassidy’s vote to convict Trump in 2021 and how that impacted the results of Saturday’s primary…

Cut 13 (11)  “…tonight’s result.”

The two other Louisiana U-S Senators to lose their re-election since 1932, Mary Landrieu in 2014 and Edwin Broussard in 1932, who like Cassidy, lost in a closed primary.

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A bill awaiting Governor Landry’s signature aims to crack down on a new way to skirt Louisiana’s seafood labeling laws. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Louisiana voters rejected all five Constitutional Amendments on Saturday’s ballot, including the one which would have funded a pay raise for teachers and support staff. That amendment was rejected by 58% of voters who cast their ballots.  Amendment 3 would have indirectly financed pay raises — $2,250 for teachers and $1,125 for support staff — by draining the state’s education trust funds.

Republican Bill Cassidy is the second U.S. Senator in Louisiana’s history not to be re-elected in the last 94 years. Cassidy finished third in the Senate Republican Primary, while Congresswoman Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming advance to a June 27th run-off. Cassidy spoke with supporters on Saturday…

Cut 10 (16) “…stolen.”

Congresswoman Letlow, who had the support of President Trump, won the Senate Republican Primary with 45-percent of the vote and told her supporters…

Cut 11 (11) “…negativity.”

In the Democratic US Senate Primary, unofficial results have Jamie Davis and Gary Crockett advancing to the runoff as Crockett edged out Nick Albares by 284 votes.  Albares has until 4:30 Tuesday afternoon to request a recount.

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If you missed the big takeaways from this Saturday’s primaries, the gist is Senator Bill Cassidy is out and voters said no to 5 constitutional amendments, including one that would have given Louisiana teachers a permanent pay raise.  Andrew Greenstein has details.

Cut 2 (37) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A man is dead after being shot early Sunday morning in Washington Parish. Sheriff’s officials there say deputies were called to Jamieson Creek Road early yesterday morning where they found 64-year-old Johnny Slocum suffering from a gunshot wound. We’re told Slocum was taken to a local hospital where he later died.