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Inauguration, Ted Cruz and President Obama put spotlight on Baton Rouge

8 years 2 months 2 weeks ago Tuesday, January 12 2016 Jan 12, 2016 January 12, 2016 8:54 AM January 12, 2016 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - It's rare for Louisiana to get such political spotlight that is not involving scandal but this week, three major events put the state and the city of Baton Rouge at the center of politics.

Monday, democrats and republicans were cross-town rivals. First, Governor John Bel Edwards, a democrat, took the oath of office at the State Capitol. Soon after, republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz rallied supporters at event at a hotel.

There, Cruz promised to fight the president's healthcare plan.

"I'll go to congress, and we will repeal every word of ObamaCare," Cruz said to a room of a few hundred Monday evening.

Monday morning, Edwards talked about his plan to expand Medicaidsomething he plans to start working on Tuesday.

Thursday, the president travels to Baton Rouge. He'll spend the night Wednesday and speak to McKinley High School students and a crowd of people Thursday morning.

"I was just, like, really speechless," student Asia Reese said. "The only word I can think of is 'wow.''

McKinley High was the first school for African Americans in the city. It holds a strong tie to the neighborhood it servers, where alumni span generations.

"We are so excitedthe alumni, the neighborhoodwe are so excited to have him come down here to our school," Deirdre Moore an alumni and neighbor of the school said.

"It really is an honor for us down here, South Baton Rouge, to have the President of the United States to come," she added.

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Follow the publisher of this post on Twitter: @treyschmaltz

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