Trump officials reportedly offered jobs to exit Senate race

State Treasurer John Fleming has stated that officials from the Trump administration contacted him both before and after he qualified for the U.S. Senate race, offering him positions in exchange for withdrawing from the race. Fleming indicated he declined these offers.

Contact from Former Surgeon General

Fleming reported the most recent contact came from Dr. Ralph Abraham, former Louisiana surgeon general. Abraham, who was serving as principal deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reportedly suggested Fleming take his place at the CDC. Fleming stated Abraham did not explicitly ask him to exit the Senate race during this conversation. Abraham subsequently left the CDC, citing family obligations, and one week later became the campaign chairman for U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, also a candidate for the Senate seat.

Political Reactions

WAFB political analyst Jim Engster described the situation as typical political maneuvering, suggesting Fleming hopes voters will be critical of such deals. Governor Jeff Landry’s endorsement of Letlow followed months of opposition to incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy, marking the first time since the 1930s a Louisiana governor endorsed a challenger to an incumbent Republican senator in a primary.

Cassidy’s campaign responded to Landry’s endorsement, characterizing it as an attempt to divert attention from Letlow’s financial dealings. The Cassidy campaign also filed a Federal Elections Commission complaint against Letlow, alleging improper solicitation of donations to a political action committee.

Neither Abraham nor Letlow’s campaign office responded to requests for comment.