Bill Cassidy and America’s increasingly broken primary system

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/05/17/bill-cassidy-defeat-highlights-decline-open-primary-elections/

Sen. Bill Cassidy’s defeat in Saturday’s Republican primary in Louisiana will be covered as evidence of President Donald Trump’s grip over the party. Cassidy voted to convict Trump after his second impeachment following Jan. 6, 2021, and this was payback.

But the state legislature voted to get rid of that “jungle” system, partly to get rid of Cassidy. And it worked. In a state as red as Louisiana, the GOP primary is tantamount to the general election.

Bosses in both parties have been working to change the rules the last few years to make it harder for more moderate politicians like Cassidy to survive.