BATON ROUGE — Louisiana State Rep. Julie Emerson said Monday that she will run for U.S. Senate, challenging Bill Cassidy in 2026. 

Emerson, the Republican chairperson of the House Ways and Means Committee, is the latest to throw her hat into the ring against Cassidy. 

"Voters want a strong conservative senator who can get things done — someone focused on results, not rhetoric. I’m running to bring home real outcomes for Louisiana: infrastructure investment, new jobs, and a seat at the table where decisions get made," Emerson, 37, said in an announcement of her campaign. 

Emerson said that she is challenging "he most vulnerable incumbent in the Senate" after Cassidy's 2021 vote to convict President Donald Trump on impeachment charges. 

Over the last several months, several other candidates have announced their plans to run as Louisiana's Senator, with State Treasurer John Fleming, State Sen. Blake Miguez, St. Tammany Parish Councilwoman Kathy Seiden and Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta all running against Cassidy.