Cassidy in a bind as RFK Jr. blows up vaccine policy

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has put Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in a political bind, squeezed by his loyalty to President Trump and commitment to medicine.

Cassidy, the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, publicly wavered over Kennedy’s confirmation, sharply criticizing his views before eventually voting for him.

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However, the second-term Louisiana senator and medical doctor did not publicly confront Kennedy this week, pointing to his political vulnerabilities as he runs for reelection in 2026 and hopes to survive the deep-red state’s GOP primary.

Robert Hogan, department chair and political science professor at Louisiana State University, said it seems clear Kennedy is playing Cassidy for a fool — but that won’t matter to GOP primary voters.

“You would think that that would hurt him electorally, but … I think ultimately, what could have hurt him is if he had stuck with his professional standards and the standards of the medical community” and spoken out against Kennedy, Hogan said.

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Cassidy declined to comment for this article. He hasn’t said much about Kennedy’s latest move, telling reporters only that he is having conversations with the secretary. He also wouldn’t say if Kennedy violated their agreement and instead pointed to a social media post.

“Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion,” Cassidy wrote on the social platform X. “I’ve just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I’ll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case.”

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