{"text":[[{"start":9.2,"text":"A Trump-endorsed challenger defeated Bill Cassidy in the Louisiana Republican Senate primary on Saturday, more than five years after the two-term senator voted to impeach the president for the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol."}],[{"start":25.7,"text":"Republican congresswoman Julia Letlow came in first place on Saturday with about 45 per cent of the vote, followed by Louisiana state treasurer John Fleming on about 28 per cent, according to the Associated Press. Cassidy trailed on 25 per cent."}],[{"start":42.05,"text":"Under Louisiana state law, because no candidate cleared a 50 per cent threshold, the top two candidates will advance to a run-off, to be held on June 27. The Republican nominee will be favoured to beat the Democratic candidate in the conservative state in November’s midterm elections."}],[{"start":59.3,"text":"After Cassidy’s loss, Trump posted on Truth Social: “His disloyalty to the man who got him elected is now a part of legend, and it’s nice to see that his political career is OVER!”"}],[{"start":71.39999999999999,"text":"In his concession speech, Cassidy contrasted himself with the president, who falsely claimed he won the 2020 election and denied he was responsible for the violence at the Capitol. "}],[{"start":83.44999999999999,"text":"“When you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to,” he said. “But you don’t pout. You don’t whine. You don’t claim that the election was stolen.”"}],[{"start":93.29999999999998,"text":"Cassidy said those who attempt to “control others through using the levers of power, they’re about serving themselves. They’re not about serving us. And that person is not qualified to be a leader.”"}],[{"start":104.19999999999999,"text":"The result is the latest in a string of primary victories for Trump as he seeks to punish his political adversaries. "}],[{"start":111.29999999999998,"text":"Earlier this month, the president succeeded in ousting five state senators in Indiana who had gone against him by refusing to redraw that state’s congressional districts. "}],[{"start":121.99999999999999,"text":"Another critical test comes on Tuesday, when Trump and his allies hope to depose Republican congressman Thomas Massie, who has broken with the president over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, among other issues."}],[{"start":136.2,"text":"Cassidy fell out of favour with Trump more than five years ago when he voted to convict the president in his second impeachment trial. That trial centred on Trump’s role in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election."}],[{"start":152.6,"text":"The Republican senator again invoked the ire of Trump’s Maga base last year, when, as chair of the Senate committee on health, education, labour and pensions, he grilled Trump’s pick for health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, on his vaccine scepticism. "}],[{"start":167.1,"text":"Cassidy, a medical doctor, ultimately voted in favour of Kennedy’s confirmation, but the critical vote was not enough to win back Trump’s approval. In January, the president endorsed Letlow as a primary challenger to Cassidy and she officially launched her campaign two days later."}],[{"start":183.75,"text":"Letlow was first elected to the House of Representatives in a special election held in January 2021. Her husband, Luke Letlow, had been elected to Congress in November 2020 but died of Covid-19 the following month before he could be sworn in to office."}],[{"start":201.1,"text":"Cassidy was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial. Only two others — Susan Collins of Maine and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski — remain in the upper chamber of Congress, while the other four have all left the Senate rather than seek re-election and risk the ire of Trump’s Maga base."}],[{"start":222.2,"text":"Trump and the Republican Party face an uphill battle to maintain control of the House of Representatives and the US Senate in November’s midterms. "}],[{"start":231.04999999999998,"text":"The president’s approval ratings have fallen to a record low as voters sour on the war in Iran and the stubbornly high cost of living in the US. Opinion polls suggest the Democrats will head into November on firm footing. "}],[{"start":245.54999999999998,"text":"An FT poll conducted earlier this month by research company Focaldata showed Democrats had an eight-point lead over Republicans among all registered voters heading into the midterms and an even bigger lead among independents."}],[{"start":267.65,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1778998164_7079.mp3"}