Oct 13, 2019

Louisiana race: Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards forced into runoff

John Bel Edwards. Photo: Patrick Dennis-Pool/Getty Images

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) was forced into a runoff Saturday night after winning 47% of the vote in a tight gubernatorial primary race, results show.

Why it matters: Edwards stood out as a rare Democratic governor in "Deep South Trump territory," AP notes. His failure to win 50% of the vote outright over 5 challengers brings into question his chances of re-election. He's facing an intense national Republican campaign, spearheaded by President Trump, per AP.

The big picture: Trump rallied against Edwards in Louisiana on the eve of the election, calling on voters to cast their ballots for one of two major Republican candidates, without naming either of them.

  • Results show Edwards' closest rivals, Republican businessman Eddie Rispone (R) gained 27% of votes and U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham (R) won 24%, KPLC first reported. That means Rispone will face off against Edwards in the Nov. 16 runoff.

What he's saying: Edwards may have won the most votes, but Trump posted 2 victorious tweets after news of the Louisiana election outcome emerged.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Go deeper

Rashaan Ayesh, Rebecca Falconer
Updated 20 mins ago - World

In photos: People around the world rally against racism

Despite a ban on large gatherings implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic, protesters rally against racism in front of the American Embassy in Paris on June 6. Photo: Julien Mattia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people have continued to rally in cities across the world against racism and show their support this week for U.S. demonstrators protesting the death in police custody of George Floyd.

Why it matters: The tense situation in the U.S. has brought the discussion of racism and discrimination onto the global stage at a time when most of the world is consumed by the novel coronavirus.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Rebecca Falconer, Orion Rummler, Rashaan Ayesh
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Updates: George Floyd protests enter 12th day

Protesters in Washington, D.C. on June 6. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in cities across the U.S. and around the world to protest the killing of George Floyd. Huge crowds have assembled in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Chicago for full-day events.

Why it matters: Twelve days of nationwide protest in the U.S. has built pressure for states to make new changes on what kind of force law enforcement can use on civilians and prompted officials to review police conduct.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 7:30 p.m. ET: 6,852,810 — Total deaths: 398,211 — Total recoveries — 3,071,142 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 7:30 p.m. ET: 1,917,080 — Total deaths: 109,702 — Total recoveries: 500,849 — Total tested: 19,778,873 — Map.
  3. Public health: Why the pandemic is hitting minorities harder — Coronavirus curve rises in Florida — How racism threatens the response to the pandemic — Some people are drinking and inhaling cleaning products in attempt to fight the virus.
  4. Tech: The pandemic is accelerating next-generation disease diagnostics — Robotics looks to copy software-as-a-service model.
  5. Business: Budgets busted by coronavirus make it harder for cities to address inequality — Sports, film production in California to resume June 12 after 3-month hiatus.
  6. Education: Students and teachers flunked remote learning.
Other resources (<1 min. read)Arrow