Bill Cassidy, the US Republican senator from Louisiana who had been the decisive holdout on Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general, announced on Friday, August 7th, 2026, that he will support the pick. This development sets the stage for a significant victory for former President Donald Trump.

Cassidy’s backing clears the last major hurdle in Blanche’s confirmation process, which faced challenges due to opposition from Republican senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. Murkowski had earlier declared she would not vote for Blanche, and Collins had already opposed the nomination over concerns about the independence of the US Department of Justice.

In a speech on the Senate floor, Cassidy said, “I will vote for Mr Blanche. Mr Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this, but the choice is not between perfection and Mr Blanche; it is between Mr Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr Blanche.”

With Cassidy’s support, Blanche is expected to be confirmed by a narrow margin, likely along party lines, as the Senate moves toward a final vote before the five-week August recess beginning that weekend.

Cassidy, who lost his Louisiana primary in May after facing challengers including one backed by Trump, had been under pressure from the White House and expressed concerns about “lawfare” at the Justice Department prior to his decision.

Murkowski’s announcement came a day after Trump was asked in the Oval Office about his strained relationships with Republican critics including Murkowski and Cassidy and whether he would reach out to them to secure the vote.

Both Murkowski and Cassidy were among the few Republicans who voted to convict Trump following his 2021 impeachment related to the January 6 Capitol riot. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, recently released from the hospital, is not attending sessions due to health reasons.

Sources