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. Cassidy's backing appears to clear the final hurdle in Blanche's confirmation process, which faced opposition from 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 argued the choice was between Blanche and an acting attorney general who "may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr Blanche."

Blanche, a former personal lawyer and loyal ally of President Donald Trump, is now expected to be confirmed by a narrow margin, likely along party lines, before the Senate begins its five-week August recess. Murkowski had earlier announced she would not support Blanche, and Collins had opposed the nomination over concerns about the independence of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Cassidy, who lost his Louisiana primary in May and had faced pressure from the White House, had expressed concerns about "lawfare" at the Justice Department before his decision. 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.

The Republican Party holds a 53-47 majority in the Senate, though Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is currently absent due to health reasons.

Sources