STAT+: Bill Cassidy risked his legacy. It may not be enough to save his career

STAT PlusExclusive Bill Cassidy risked his legacy. It may not be enough to save his career Cassidy voted to impeach Trump and confirm RFK Jr. It’s cost him MAGA voters, and he hasn’t won over MAHA By Chelsea Cirruzzo and Daniel PayneMay 13, 2026 Cirruzzo and Payne traveled to Louisiana and interviewed key people inside Cassidy’s orbit to discern his political fate. Chelsea Cirruzzo[email protected]Chelsea covers the Department of Health and Human Services with a particular focus on power and influence at the top. Confidential tips can be sent via Signal at chelseacirruzzo.42.Daniel Payne[email protected]Daniel covers the intersection of the health industry and the federal government. He reports on corporate influence in government, the health consequences of federal policies, and the politics of health care. Confidential tips can be sent on Signal at danielp.100. Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article BATON ROUGE, La. — When it comes to Bill Cassidy, most everyone in Louisiana politics — supporters and detractors alike — feels bad for the senator. For his 20 years in politics, he’s mostly been a doctor in lawmaker’s clothing: evidence-obsessed, carefully calculating the right policy prescriptions for the issues before him, according to more than a dozen people who’ve worked with or for him. Those traits, along with his firsthand knowledge of America’s health care system, made him a respected leader on the subject in the Capitol. Advertisement He could be at the zenith of his power: He’s leading the Senate committee that oversees health policy, with Republicans in charge across the federal government and health care affordability emerging as the top political issue ahead of the midterm elections. He’s led the GOP in health reform plans for nearly a decade, and his recent policy proposals are, at times, more Trump-aligned than those of many colleagues. Instead, Cassidy, 68, has increasingly set aside his health policy credentials in favor of proving his MAGA bona fides. He’s facing a tooth-and-nail primary fight on May 16 to keep his Senate seat, with President Trump and the politically ascendant Make American Healthy Again movement endorsing one of his challengers. In some polls, Cassidy is trailing his rivals — Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow and John Fleming, Louisiana state treasurer — though the data is far from definitive.Advertisement But win or lose, Cassidy’s friends, allies, and critics told STAT that the senator seems unlikely to ever fully recover from his collapse in stature and power as the changed political landscape demands that Republican lawmakers either be all in on Trump or cast aside. Cassidy has tried to play both sides: voting, his friends say, with his conscience as a physician while also trying to support the president. The result is a party that accuses him of being a Republican in name only for casting a crucial vote against Trump — and a health care establishment appalled by what it sees as a betrayal of his Hippocratic oath and an erosion of his own legacy. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts. Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In Congress, Donald Trump, HHS, Physicians, Policy, public health, RFK Jr., STAT+, states Submit a correction requestReprints Chelsea Cirruzzo Washington Correspondent Chelsea covers the Department of Health and Human Services with a particular focus on power and influence at the top. Confidential tips can be sent via Signal at chelseacirruzzo.42. Daniel Payne Washington Correspondent Daniel covers the intersection of the health industry and the federal government. He reports on corporate influence in government, the health consequences of federal policies, and the politics of health care. Confidential tips can be sent on Signal at danielp.100. 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