A political analyst expects US Senator Bill Cassidy will win reelection tonight and avoid having to head to a December run-off. Matt Doyle has the story.
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You have until 8 PM tonight to get in line to vote. Matt Doyle has a request for you from the state’s head of elections…
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A proposition to allow sports betting by the parish is on the ballot. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”
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The state’s senior Senator, Dr. Bill Cassidy is up for reelection today against a packed field of 14 opponents.
UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross expects the race will end tonight without heading to a December run-off that is unless voters get “confused” by the long list of names…
Only one other Republican is on the ballot, Dustin Murphy of Eros. Eight Third Party, Independent, or No Party candidates are also on the list.
Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins headlines the five Democrats running to replace Cassidy, but Cross says his lack of statewide name recognition likely dooms him this year…
Baton Rouge activist and Democrat Antoine Peirce appears likely to take third place in the race as the second most prominent Democrat among the five running.
Cross has also been following the race for the 3rd District southwest Louisiana Congressional seat held by Congressman Clay Higgins. He expects Higgins to win 50 to 55 percent and avoid a run-off.
None of the other four incumbent Louisiana Congressmen are expected to face much of a reelection challenge either.
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Polls are open for Election Day and voters have until 8 PM to cast their ballots on a range of topics from the Presidential contest to sports betting.
Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin expects about 69 to 71 percent total turnout for the election including early votes. That’s up just slightly from 2016’s turnout of 68 percent.
Nearly a million early votes were cast, compared to just over half a million in 2016. Ardoin says just because more people cast an early ballot doesn’t mean wait times will be lower today, so give yourself some time when you show up.
Ardoin says to speed things up for everyone please download the GeauxVote Mobile app ahead of time and pre-mark your ballot so you don’t hold up the line while you read your options in the booth and have your ID and PPE ready…
Ardoin says as long as you are in line by 8 PM tonight you will get to vote.
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The 23-year-old who set fire to three predominately Black churches in Opelousas last spring is sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Legal Analyst Tim Meche says Holden Matthews was hit with a substantial sentence that is close to the maximum of what he could have gotten for the crimes.
Matthews’ spree took place from late March to early April and targeted the Greater Union, Mt. Pleasant, and St. Mary Baptist Churches.
Matthews, the son of a St. Landry Parish deputy, initially pled not guilty but changed his plea back in February. Meche says pleading out was his best bet to avoid an even longer sentence.
Matthews reportedly told authorities that he set the fires in an attempt to raise his profile as a “Black Metal” artist, committing crimes similar to those done by musicians in Scandinavia in the 90s.
Meche says the message from this substantial sentence is clear…
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Voters will decide the fate of Sports Betting for their individual parish today. Currently, the only sports wagering allowed in Louisiana is online fantasy sports contests in parishes approved in 2018. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says this vote is open to all parishes and would accept wagers on any sporting event.
Scott says if your parish approves sports wagering don’t expect to place your bets immediately.
Proponents say sports betting is already done illegally so why not legalize it and collect state and local revenue. Scott says opponents see this as another way to lure younger gamblers.
Cut 15 (12) “…casinos or online”
If your parish does not have a casino and sports betting is approved, you can then legally wager online once legislation is passed.
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At the halfway point of the 2020 season, the defending national champion LSU Tigers are 2-and-3 and with difficult games remaining against Alabama, Florida and Texas A-and-M, the Bayou Bengals could have their first losing season since 1999. But Coach Ed Orgeron still likes the direction of the program
LSU’s next game is November 14th against Alabama. Orgeron says it’s too early to tell if injured quarterback Myles Brennan will play against the second-ranked Crimson Tide. Coach O says if Brennan can’t play, there will be a competition between TJ Finley and Max Johnson on who will start…
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The Saints have acquired former LSU linebacker Kwon Alexander in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. In return, New Orleans gives up a fifth-round conditional draft pick and Kiko Alonso, who has not played this season. Coach Sean Payton says Alexander gives the Saints another athletic linebacker that can run
Because of the COVID protocols, it’s unlikely Alexander will play Sunday night against the Buccaneers. The Saints will take a four-game winning streak into Tampa bay. Payton says his team has shown a lot of grit by winning close games during the winning streak, including two overtime contests…