“The Louisiana Republican Party Executive Committee has voted unanimously to disapprove Senator Bill Cassidy for his vote cast earlier today to condemn former President Donald J. Trump on the charge of impeachment,” the state party said in a statement. statement.
Cassidy was one of only seven GOP senators to vote along with all the Senate Democrats to condemn Trump – but the 57 guilty votes were far behind the 67 it took to condemn the former president. Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania voted that Trump was guilty of instigating the uprising at the Capitol on January 6.
Cassidy said in a brief statement after his vote on Saturday, “Our constitution and our country are more important than any person. I voted to condemn President Trump for being guilty.”
CNN has reached out to Cassidy to comment on the state party’s disapproval.
Cassidy is the last Republican to face backlash from his own party as the National Republican Party faces its own internal conflicts in the wake of the November election.
Last week, Sasse faced disapproval from the Nebraska GOP, while at least 10 home Republicans faced backlash, including Rep. Liz Cheney from Wyoming, a lifelong ideological conservative.
Cheney, the No. 3 Republican in the House of Representatives, fought a challenge to her leadership post from members of her own party after she voted to impeach Trump.
Senator Stewart Cathey Jr. of the state of Louisiana, a Republican representing parts of northern Louisiana, said later Saturday that local Republican anger against Cassidy has been swift, as many Louisians are “upset, disappointed.”
“We elected Senator Cassidy in November … and sent him back to Washington in an overwhelming amount, along with President Trump,” the senator said. “His constituents thought we were sending him there with a lot of those same ideals, so today’s vote has really taken people by surprise.”
Cassidy won re-election in November, meaning he won’t be meeting voters for the next six years.
Cathey said that hasn’t dampened the response.
“I’m Senator Cathey and he’s Senator Cassidy of the United States,” said Cathey, who remains closely associated with Trump. “I get emails saying, ‘I can’t believe you’re doing that.’ I just say politely, “I think you were mistaken.” ”
