1230PM LRN News

President Trump is set to address the nation tonight at 8PM and lay out his case for increased funding for border security in the midst of a government shutdown over the President’s demand for 5.7 billion in funding for a physical border wall. Republican Congressman Garrett Graves says we may not need another Great Wall, but additional physical structures would decrease illegal border crossings.

Cut 6, 11 seconds, of miles

But Democrats refuse to pass a spending bill that includes border wall funding, calling it wasteful and unnecessary. Democrat and Assistant to the Majority Whip Cedric Richmond says the House will not force tax payers to waste their money on the President’s campaign slogan.

Cut 8 seconds, 10 seconds, of money

Richmond says those funds should go towards social programs, and networks will air a rebuttal from Democrats immediately after the speech.

According to his re-election campaign, Gov. John Bel Edwards raised $3.8 million in 2018 and enters 2019 with $8.3 million in the bank for the race. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says this indicates that any challengers who can’t raise about ten million dollars will not be competitive in the race.

Cut 4 (12) “…the governor has.″

One of Edwards’ announced challengers, Eddie Rispone’s gubernatorial campaign says the Baton Rouge Republican has 5.5 million dollars in his campaign account. No word yet from the other Republican challenger Ralph Abraham.

LSU ends the year ranked 6th, good for the team’s best finish since 2011.