Moon Griffon to Host Louisiana Senate Debate — But Will Bill Cassidy Appear?

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — Conservative radio host Moon Griffon is set to host a three-way debate between the top Republican candidates in Louisiana’s U.S. Senate race on April 28, 2026, from 9 to 11 a.m. on his show. Rep. Julia Letlow and Treasurer John Fleming have both accepted the invitation. Sen. Bill Cassidy has not responded.

The development flips the script on a debate standoff that has dominated the race for weeks. Cassidy has been publicly demanding debates since early March, while Letlow held out for one on a conservative radio platform. Griffon’s show is exactly what Letlow’s campaign said it wanted. Now it’s Cassidy who hasn’t answered the call.

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Cassidy Called for Debates — Then Letlow Named Her Terms

On March 6, Cassidy challenged Letlow to a series of televised debates ahead of the May 16 closed Republican primary, saying, “Louisiana voters deserve a healthy debate on the issues that matter most in their lives.”

Letlow countered by offering to participate in a debate only on the program of Moon Griffon, a conservative talk radio.

Cassidy pushed back, arguing a statewide televised debate at night would reach a much bigger audience than an appearance on Griffon’s morning radio program, saying “his listenership is pretty small.”

Griffon responded that he would treat Cassidy fairly, and has stated the debate would only include questions that could apply to everyone rather than targeting a single candidate over a single issue.

In a statement, Letlow’s campaign said she is willing to debate Cassidy, but that “in a Republican primary, that debate should happen on a conservative platform where Republican voters are already tuned in. The Moon Griffon Show is an obvious place to start.”

Fleming Has Said Yes to Everything

Fleming has made himself the most debate-willing candidate in the race. He agreed to appear at both the LPB and KTBS debates, saying, “For the people to decide, they need to see the candidates lined up against each other.”

Fleming accepted Griffon’s April 28 invitation as well.

LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan said Fleming’s willingness to debate makes sense given where he stands in the polls, noting that candidates who are doing less well have more incentive to get on stage. While Fleming has trailed in polling released by Letlow and Cassidy, his own polling from JMC Analytics shows a path to victory.

Hogan also warned that Letlow’s absence from other debates could backfire if Cassidy and Fleming use that time to attack her directly.

“It has the potential to hurt her, if they spend the debate time beating up and attacking the person who isn’t there,” he said.

The Debate Standoff, Explained

The debate fight has been a moving target since Cassidy issued his challenge. He accepted an invitation from Leaders for a Better Louisiana and Louisiana Public Broadcasting for an April 16 debate at LPB’s studios in Baton Rouge, and also accepted proposals from KTBS-TV in Shreveport and Nexstar Media.

Letlow said she cannot attend the LPB debate because the House is scheduled to be in session that day. Her campaign press secretary said, “Congresswoman Letlow is committed to working for the people of Louisiana’s 5th District, and to do that she has to be present for critical votes.”

As of this week, Letlow had not committed to any of the three televised debate proposals Cassidy put forward.

LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan said Cassidy’s willingness to push for debates signals concern within his campaign.

“When you have an incumbent that is challenging his adversary to a political debate, that’s an indication that he is very worried about his own electoral chances,” Hogan said.

What’s at Stake

Political analyst Clay Young described the race as still unsettled, saying, “You see this as being a really bunched-up race. I think that Fleming has performed a lot better than people would have thought weeks ago when Congresswoman Letlow got the endorsement. Senator Cassidy has a lot of money in his war chest, but Fleming is holding his own.”

The top two finishers in the May 16 Republican primary will advance to a June 27 runoff. The winner of that race will face one of three Democrats — Nick Albares, Jamie Davis, or Gary Crockett — in the November general election.

With the April 28 Moon Griffon debate now on the calendar, and both Letlow and Fleming confirmed, the pressure lands on Cassidy. The other two candidates have signaled