Bill Cassidy, the Republican senator from Louisiana and previously seen as the decisive holdout, announced on Friday, August 7th, 2026, that he will support Todd Blanche’s nomination for U.S. Attorney General. Blanche, a former personal lawyer to Donald Trump and a loyal ally, had faced opposition from Republican senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins.

In a speech on the Senate floor, Cassidy acknowledged Blanche is "not perfect," but emphasized the choice was between Blanche and an acting attorney general who might not effectively run the Department of Justice under President Trump. Cassidy said, “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.”

Murkowski, Alaska’s moderate Republican senator, had earlier announced she would not vote for Blanche’s confirmation, leaving Cassidy as the last Republican undecided vote. Maine’s Susan Collins had already opposed the nomination over concerns about the independence of the Department of Justice.

Cassidy’s backing appears to clear the final hurdle for Blanche’s confirmation, which is expected to pass by a narrow margin, likely along party lines. The Senate is working through the final votes before the five-week August recess begins this weekend.

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 currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, though Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is absent due to health reasons.

Sources