Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins Confirms 2026 U.S. Senate Plans

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — Congressman Clay Higgins has been at the center of speculation regarding the 2026 Senate race for the seat currently occupied by Sen. Bill Cassidy.

The incumbent Cassidy is seen as a weak candidate heading into next year's race and has already drawn one opponent from his right, state treasurer John Fleming. Higgins has been widely speculated to be eyeing the seat. But the man once known as the "Cajun John Wayne" has finally spoken out about whether or not he will run.

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Staying Put in Congress

Higgins, who serves as the representative of Louisiana's 3rd congressional district, wrote in a letter to his constituents that he intends to continue serving them from "the People's House."

In the letter, Higgins wrote that he has received plenty of questions about running for the Senate, while he has "calmly studied a potential transition of my Congressional service from the People’s House to the esteemed Senate," he has come to the conclusion that "it may be ultimately more beneficial to the Republic that I remain in service to the MAGA America First agenda as a senior Republican in the House of Representatives."

He also noted that he believes the incumbent in the Senate race, Cassidy, may soon be out the door.

"So, fellow citizen, I shall continue to serve you in the People’s House," he said. "There are several American Patriots of distinguished accomplishment who will vie for the United States Senate seat currently held by Dr. Bill Cassidy, whose service to our Nation within the Senate seems to have soon reached conclusion."

The 2026 Race

Higgins, as a Congressman, has to run for re-election every two years. But Cassidy's Senate seat is open only once every six years. The last time he ran for re-election, Cassidy ran as a pro-Trump Republican during Trump's failed re-election bid against Joe Biden.

However, after the election, Cassidy voted to convict Trump in an impeachment trial over the events of January 6, 2021. That vote has been held against him by conservatives throughout the state since he made it.

He has also received a lot of pushback from Louisiana conservatives after backing a bipartisan infrastructure bill (that eventually passed) and a bipartisan immigration bill (that was eventually pulled). He was also at the center of the media spotlight earlier this year as the potential vote to block Robery Kennedy, Jr. from getting confirmed as Health and Human Services secretary under Trump.

Fleming, who announced his bid for Senate recently, has accused Cassidy of not being a supporter of the Trump agenda and vows to advance it in ways Cassidy would not.