Bill Cassidy, the Republican senator from Louisiana and the last undecided GOP vote, announced on Friday, August 7th, 2026, that he will support Todd Blanche’s nomination for U.S. attorney general. Blanche, a former personal lawyer and loyal ally of President Donald Trump, had faced opposition from moderate Republican senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.

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 Trump. 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, before the Senate’s five-week August recess.

Murkowski had earlier announced she would not support Blanche’s confirmation, and Collins had already opposed it citing concerns about the Department of Justice’s independence. Both senators, along with Cassidy, had previously voted to convict Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial related to the January 6 Capitol riot.

Cassidy, who lost his Louisiana primary in May after facing challengers including one endorsed by Trump, had expressed concerns about "lawfare" at the Justice Department before his decision. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is currently absent from sessions due to health reasons.

This development marks a significant victory for President Trump, whose nominee now appears poised to assume the attorney general role.

Sources