'Red alert': Senate Republican declares five-alarm fire over GOP gov's election meddling

The campaign of embattled Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) lashed out at Gov. Jeff Landry on Friday for his changes to primary rules, which he contends make it harder for unaffiliated voters to participate.

This comes after Landry already caused a firestorm of controversy by suspending the state's primaries after early voting began — throwing out 45,000 already-cast ballots in the process — to give the legislature time to draw a new congressional map carving up one of the state's two majority-Black districts, following the Supreme Court's decision weakening the Voting Rights Act.

It also comes after Landry was accused of "strong-arming" party insiders against supporting Cassidy's re-election campaign. Cassidy, who has been on President Donald Trump's bad side ever since he voted for impeachment after Jan. 6, is being challenged by Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming. Trump has endorsed Letlow's campaign.

"We have a red alert hours before the election," said the campaign in a statement. "We are hearing reports that — because of the Jeff Landry election process mess — voters are being disenfranchised and are not able to vote Cassidy."

"It's not an accident that voters are confused by this intentionally difficult process," said Cassidy campaign manager Kate Larkin. "The Governor closed the primary and continuously meddled in this election to support Julia Letlow. Right now we are hearing from No Party voters who don't understand the Landry-created confusing Declaration of Ballot Choice and are being blocked from voting in the U.S. Senate race."

"It is the media's responsibility to help educate voters since the state government has deliberately failed to relay critical information about the May 16 election," she added.