WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Tagged News

• Senate panel rejects election of education chief

  May 1, 2013 4:05 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A bid to make Louisiana's education superintendent elected by voters, rather than appointed by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, has failed to gain traction in the Senate. The Senate Education Committee voted 4-2 Wednesday against the proposal by Republican Sen. Bob Kostelka - but only... more »

• Sorrento Mayor's race goes to runoff Play Video

  April 8, 2013 5:34 PM

  SORRENTO - The mayor of Sorrento's father could have a shot at taking his son's spot. Wilson Longanecker Sr. will face Mike Lambert in a runoff next month after this weekend's election yielded no majority winner. Wilson Longanecker Jr., the current mayor, lost his bid for a spot... more »

• Voters in East Feliciana deny new tax for public school system Play Video

  April 6, 2013 10:51 PM

  CLINTON- A new tax to fund schools in East Feliciana failed to gain approval by voters Saturday. The tax would have increased property rates by about 45%, but would have raised $4 million dollars for the school system. The superintendent said the tax was needed to get schools... more »

• Cassidy running for US Senate in 2014

  April 2, 2013 1:29 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy is running for the Senate next year, seeking to keep Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu from a fourth term. Cassidy, a Baton Rouge doctor elected to Congress in 2008, will release a video Wednesday announcing his candidacy. The video was provided to... more »

• "Habemus Papam" - We Have A Pope

  March 13, 2013 1:41 PM

  VATICAN CITY - White smoke poured from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel and bells at the Vatican and at churches all over the world rang, signaling the College of Cardinals elected a new pope to lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. The new pope is expected to appear... more »

• The Next Pope: Modern twists to ancient rites

  March 11, 2013 5:34 PM

  VATICAN CITY - Ritual words, uttered in Latin, open and close the secret selection process of the new pope. It starts with "Extra omnes" - or "Everyone out" - expelling all but voting cardinals from the Sistine Chapel where conclave balloting takes place. It ends with "Accepto" - "I... more »

• Sorrento chief defaults to 4th term

  March 5, 2013 9:55 PM

  SORRENTO- The town's police chief will serve a fourth term, since his only opponent left the race. The election was set for April. Earl Theriot has been in the spotlight recently for making bizarre comments to WBRZ News 2 reporters, asking questions about the department's spending. Those reports... more »

• Boustany won't challenge Landrieu in '14 Senate race

  March 5, 2013 2:57 PM

  LAFAYETTE- Count at least one person out of the race for Senate next year. Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, who represents a large section of South and Southwestern Louisiana, said he would not challenge Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu. Landrieu will run for re-election. A spokesperson for Boustany... more »

• Denham Springs Marshal dropping out of judge race

  February 27, 2013 12:50 PM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - Denham Springs Marshal Jerry Denton says he's dropping out of the race for the First Circuit Court of Appeal. Denton says it's because he has not been able to raise the money necessary in the short time available. The election is April 6th. His... more »

• Ohio woman claims she was fired for Obama vote

  February 20, 2013 8:51 AM

  DAYTON, Ohio- A southwest Ohio woman says she was fired three days after the November election because she voted for President Barack Obama. The woman has filed a lawsuit in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court seeking damages starting at $25,000 against Q-Mark Inc. and its president. The Dayton-based company is... more »

• State removes names of inactive voters

  January 24, 2013 7:01 AM

  BATON ROUGE - State elections officials removed about 52,000 inactive voters from Louisiana's voter rolls after November's presidential election. State Elections Commissioner Angie Rogers says election laws require the purge of voter registration rolls once every two years or so, to remove the names of people who have not voted... more »

• Panel's proposals protect voters from ID theft

  January 10, 2013 7:46 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The State Board of Election Supervisors has recommended changes in state election laws. One of the proposals would make it a felony to copy or otherwise reproduce a completed voter registration application. The change would protect the confidentiality of such information as the individual's full date... more »

• Obama '08 campaign fined $375,000 by FEC

  January 4, 2013 4:32 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign has been fined $375,000 by the Federal Election Commission for reporting violations related to a set of donations received during the final days of the campaign. The fines are among the largest ever levied on a presidential campaign by the FEC and stem... more »

• Special election set in House District 79

  December 18, 2012 10:49 AM

  BATON ROUGE - State House Speaker Chuck Kleckley has set a March 2 special election to fill the expected vacancy in the House District 79 seat held by state Rep. Anthony Ligi. An April 6 runoff will be held, if necessary. The Advocate reports qualifying for the election will run... more »

• Electoral College set to affirm Obama re-election

  December 17, 2012 1:54 PM

  ST. PAUL, Minn. - Tradition trumped suspense Monday as members of the Electoral College cast the official, final votes in the 2012 presidential election, a constitutional formality on President Barack Obama's march to a second term. The rite playing in state capitols involved party luminaries and tireless activists carrying out... more »

• Walker welcomes teen alderman Play Video

  December 12, 2012 5:48 PM

  WALKER - Next month, Walker will swear-in their youngest alderman, ever. At just 19-years old, Jonathan Davis is no stranger to politics. He grew up in a Republican household, with two delegates for parents. During high school, Davis worked for the Republican Party, fronted a grassroots organization for... more »

• Metro Council to meet for the last time with current members tonight

  December 12, 2012 2:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Four of the twelve elected members of Metro Council will be making their last decisions of their council career tonight. Wednesday's meeting is also the last regular council meeting of the year. "Bones" Addison, Mike Walker, Alison Gary, and "Smokie" Bourgeois won't return to the council next... more »

• RNC looking into what went wrong in 2012

  December 10, 2012 3:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Republican National Committee is launching an independent inquiry into what worked in 2012's elections - and, perhaps more importantly, what did not. RNC chairman Reince Priebus on Monday rolled out his effort, called the Growth and Opportunity Project, to look at how GOP nominee Mitt Romney came... more »

• Christmas parade closures, runoff election clash

  December 7, 2012 3:18 PM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - Police in Denham Springs said today they would make every effort to help voters access a polling location for Saturday's runoff election, even though it would be blocked for a time by the city Christmas parade. Denham Springs' parade rolls from the city high school to... more »

• Obama to meet with Romney tomorrow

  November 28, 2012 10:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - A private lunch at the White House tomorrow will be the first meeting between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney since their last debate. Obama had promised in his victory speech earlier this month that he would engage with Romney following their bitter campaign, and that he would... more »

• NJ Gov. Christie announces re-election bid

  November 26, 2012 2:51 PM

  MIDDLETOWN, N.J. - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has announced he will seek re-election to a second term. Christie says he want New Jersey residents to know that he's "in this for the long haul" as he leads the state's recovery from Superstorm Sandy. The governor confirms he... more »

• 2 in face off for Port Allen mayor

  November 26, 2012 10:22 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Voters deciding who will serve as Port Allen mayor for the next four years have a choice on the Dec. 8 election ballot between the incumbent and one of his challengers in a previous mayoral election a year ago. Mayor Roger Bergeron, a Democrat, is once again... more »

• Early voting begins Nov. 24

  November 23, 2012 10:31 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Early voting for the Dec. 8 election begins this weekend, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State's office. Early voting in the state runs from Nov. 24 to Dec. 1 from 8:30 a.m. To 6 p.m. excluding this Sunday, Nov. 25. "We saw a very... more »

• Officials asked to challenge bridge tolls election

  November 20, 2012 3:16 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Opponents of Crescent City Connection tolls have ask Jefferson Parish officials to challenge referendum results. The Nov. 6 referendum to extend the tolls passed by a 16 vote margin. Stop the Tolls and the Voters League of Unincorporated West Jefferson contend a formal canvass of the election... more »

• For some, politics can bring an uneasy Thanksgiving

  November 20, 2012 3:14 PM

  UNDATED - Lots of extended families are getting together for Thanksgiving this week. And amid all the turkey and pie, the football on TV, the catching up on family doings, there are bound to be plenty of political disagreements. Andrew Marshall of Quincy, Mass., says his family members across... more »

• Obama hopes to meet with Romney before year's out

  November 14, 2012 2:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he hasn't yet scheduled a meeting with Republican Mitt Romney. At a news conference Wednesday, Obama said he hopes to have the chance to talk with Romney before the end of the year. Obama said the election was only a week ago, and that... more »

• Ryan: Shocked at loss, Obama won fair and square

  November 13, 2012 5:41 PM

  WASHINGTON - Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan acknowledges that he was shocked when he and presidential nominee Mitt Romney lost last week's election. The Wisconsin congressman says President Barack Obama won fair and square. In an interview with ABC News being aired Tuesday, Ryan says he and Romney thought... more »

• Tolls will stay after final votes counted

  November 13, 2012 11:55 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Tolls on the Crescent City Connection will continue for another 20 years after elections officials counted and certified final results Tuesday from the highly contested Nov. 6 referendum. The Times-Picayune reports approval of the extension hung on an eight-vote margin until Tuesday, when the final difference rose... more »

• Catholic bishops stay course on gay marriage fight

  November 12, 2012 2:41 PM

  BALTIMORE - The nation's Roman Catholic bishops say they won't change their strategy on gay marriage or birth control coverage despite the outcome of the election. Bishops have been in the forefront of opposing same-sex marriage. But voters decided ballot questions in four states last week in favor of gay... more »

• State lawmakers looking for compromise with federal health care plan Play Video

  November 8, 2012 5:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Some state lawmakers hope Governor Bobby Jindal will help work through issues with President Obama's healthcare reforms, now that the election is over. The health care plan is aimed at guaranteeing health care coverage for the uninsured, among other reforms. Governor Jindal had previously stated he... more »

• Wash. voters approve gay marriage

  November 8, 2012 3:34 PM

  OLYMPIA, Wash. - Voters in Washington state have approved gay marriage, joining Maine and Maryland as the first states to pass same-sex marriage by popular vote. Referendum 74 asked people to approve or reject a law legalizing same-sex marriage that Washington legislators passed earlier this year. The law was signed... more »

• Walker selects new mayor by 40-vote margin

  November 7, 2012 5:50 PM

  WALKER- Voters in Walker selected a new mayor by a margin of 40 votes after a heated election. Rick Ramsey won the vote with 51 percent and 1,307 votes, while incumbent Bobby Font received 1,267 votes. Ramsey told News 2 he wants to hit the ground running when... more »

• Puerto Ricans opt for statehood in referendum

  November 7, 2012 5:48 PM

  SAN JUAN - For the first time, a majority of Puerto Ricans voted in favor of statehood. The Election Day vote was nonbinding, but marks a shift in attitudes. Puerto Ricans first voted on their desire to reject their current status as a U.S. commonwealth, and that passed... more »

• Bridge toll extension still in question

  November 7, 2012 5:45 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - It could be this weekend before New Orleans area commuters know whether they will have to keep paying tolls on the Crescent City Connection bridge. Secretary of State figures show a ballot item extending the tolls for 20 years had eight more "yes" votes than "no" votes.... more »

• Jindal: Obama re-election won't change path in La.

  November 7, 2012 3:00 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal is congratulating President Barack Obama for his re-election victory, while saying that won't change his course in Louisiana. Jindal issued a statement that said, "Here in Louisiana, we will continue to do what we have always done, and that means standing up for our... more »

• Pres. Barack Obama's victory speech Play Video

  November 7, 2012 12:34 PM

  CHICAGO - Here is the full text and video of Pres. Barack Obama's victory speech after securing a second term in the 2012 race for the White House. ----- Thank you so much. Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its... more »

• Deadline to register to vote in Dec. 8 election

  November 7, 2012 11:02 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Today is the deadline to register to vote in the Dec. 8 open general/congressional election. This deadline is for citizens who have never registered to vote as well as voters who would like to make changes to their registration. "We saw a turnout of approximately... more »

• Ryan says he will return to Congress

  November 7, 2012 10:51 AM

  BOSTON - Paul Ryan says he is returning to Congress. The failed Republican vice presidential nominee said Wednesday that he will be seated when the new House convenes in January. But first, he says he's looking forward to spending some time with his family before resuming his responsibilities as House... more »

• Another 4 years for Obama

  November 7, 2012 8:32 AM

  CHICAGO - President Barack Obama has been reelected to another four years in the White House. Obama told supports early this morning that their citizenship doesn't end with their vote and that the "best is yet to come." Obama also says he wants to meet with Republican rival Mitt... more »

• Most Louisiana congressmen win re-election

  November 7, 2012 7:59 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Most of Louisiana's congressmen had an easy time in their re-election bids. That wasn't the case for Republican U.S. Reps. Charles Boustany and Jeff Landry, who will face each other in a December runoff to decide who returns to Washington for another term. The two... more »

• Angelle takes open Public Service Commission seat

  November 6, 2012 11:32 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Former Jindal administration official Scott Angelle has won an open seat on Louisiana's utility regulatory agency, the Public Service Commission. He took more than half the vote Tuesday over four other candidates, securing the south central Louisiana seat left vacant by retiring commissioner Jimmy Field. Angelle, of... more »

• Holden: "Big plans" for third term as EBR Mayor-Pres. Play Video

  November 6, 2012 11:21 PM

  BATON ROUGE - East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden will serve a third term in office. He sailed to an easy victory tonight, beating challenger Mike Walker after getting 60 percent of the vote with nearly all precincts reporting. Holden said he has big plans for his third... more »

• Guidry, Hughes head to Supreme Court runoff

  November 6, 2012 11:14 PM

  BATON ROUGE - John Michael Guidry and Jeff Hughes have advanced to a Dec. 8 runoff in the race to fill Chief Justice Catherine "Kitty" Kimball's seat on the Louisiana Supreme Court. Guidry and Hughes were the leading vote-getters among eight candidates for the 5th Supreme Court District seat in... more »

• AP: Obama re-elected to 2nd term

  November 6, 2012 10:48 PM

  WASHINGTON - Barack Obama has won re-election to a second term as president, beating back a fierce challenge from Republican Mitt Romney. Obama prevailed despite a weak economy and high unemployment. Democrats have also retained control of the Senate, according to election results in so far. Republicans look... more »

• Man accused of robbing bank on election day

  November 6, 2012 7:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Police arrested a man they said robbed a bank in downtown Baton Rouge today. Cpl. L'Jean McKneely said officers arrested Karl Shelvin, 29, of Opelousas shortly after the robbery around 2:22 p.m. today. McKneely said Shelvin went into the State Bank and Trust at 665... more »

• No surprises so far in presidential race

  November 6, 2012 7:20 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney has won in Indiana, a state won by President Barack Obama four years ago. Romney is also the winner in South Carolina, a state where Obama is deeply unpopular. Those states have 20 electoral votes between them. Obama has won his home state of Illinois, as... more »

• Exit poll shows economy still the top concern

  November 6, 2012 5:04 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Preliminary results of an exit poll conducted for The Associated Press show that the presidential election hinges once again on the economy. The survey of voters as they leave polling places shows 6 in 10 voters say the economy is the top issue facing the nation, with... more »

• Sec. State to examine social media and ballots after election

  November 6, 2012 3:01 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Every day people share all kinds of things through social networking, from who they're with right down to what they're about to eat. People in Louisiana, though, should think twice before snapping a pic of who they voted for today. According to Louisiana law, it... more »

• Voters deciding more than the next president

  November 6, 2012 12:32 PM

  UNDATED - Americans are lining up at voting places around the country to give their verdict on a long and bruising campaign for the White House and other matters. In addition to the contest between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, every House seat, a third of the Senate and... more »

• Biden stops in Cleveland en route to Chicago

  November 6, 2012 11:20 AM

  CLEVELAND- Vice President Joe Biden is making an unannounced stop in Cleveland. Biden voted Tuesday morning in his home state of Delaware and then boarded a plane for Chicago, where he's joining President Barack Obama to await the election returns. An hour after takeoff, the small group of reporters traveling... more »

• Light NBA schedule on election night

  November 6, 2012 10:44 AM

  UNDATED - The NBA schedule on election night consists of just three games. In Chicago, the Bulls are playing host to Orlando. The visiting Magic may not have Dwight Howard any longer but they are going for their first 3-0 start to a season in three years. The Magic... more »

• Large turnout expected in La. on Election Day

  November 6, 2012 10:24 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Large numbers of Louisianians are expected to show up at voting booths to make decisions for president, congressional representatives and a lengthy list of local races around the state. Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Secretary of State Tom Schedler expects long lines in urban areas and... more »

• Romney casts ballot, campaigns as people vote

  November 6, 2012 9:11 AM

  BELMONT, Mass. - Mitt Romney has cast his ballot in the presidential election. After all the flights, all the speeches, the debates, hand-shakes, nods, gestures and smiles, it was time for him to vote and then hold curtain-closing campaign rallies in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Then, he had to contemplate... more »

• Obama turns re-election prospects over to voters

  November 6, 2012 8:45 AM

  CHICAGO - President Barack Obama is extending congratulations to rival Mitt Romney "on a spirited campaign." Obama says he's "confident we've got the votes to win." Obama says he knows Romney supporters are "just as engaged, just as enthusiastic." Obama spoke to reporters briefly after making calls to Wisconsin campaign... more »

• Louisiana voters ready for election Play Video

  November 5, 2012 10:20 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Republicans and Democrats might not be burning the midnight oil in Louisiana, but they are working to make sure people know: vote Tuesday. Monday night, Democrats were making calls on behalf of Barack Obama. Republicans said they were having volunteers make calls from their homes for Mitt... more »

• First votes to be cast overnight

  November 5, 2012 9:32 PM

  DIXVILLE NOTCH, N.H. - While most of the East Coast is asleep, residents of two tiny villages in northern New Hampshire will head to the polls at midnight to cast the first Election Day votes in the nation. Dixville Notch has 10 voters and Hart's Location has 37 (there were... more »

• Poll challenges, phony instructions could mar vote

  November 5, 2012 3:57 PM

  WASHINGTON - Voting rights advocates say persistent reports of robocalls incorrectly telling voters they can cast ballots over the phone and fears of aggressive challenges by monitors at polling places threaten to mar Election Day in many key states. Advocates say the fake phone calls continued to crop up in... more »

• Schedler expects long lines in La. on Election Day

  November 5, 2012 3:00 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's top elections official is telling voters to be patient on Election Day, do their homework about the ballot and expect a lengthy wait to get in the voting booth. Secretary of State Tom Schedler predicted turnout for the election Tuesday could top 70 percent in Louisiana... more »

• Obama, Romney pursue last votes in stubbornly close race

  November 5, 2012 12:03 PM

  UNDATED - Today's campaign schedules show where President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney believe the race for the White House will be decided. On the eve of Election Day, Romney is hitting Florida, Virginia and New Hampshire, while Obama is targeting Wisconsin and Iowa. And both men plan to be... more »

• Some voting advocates object to NJ's email ballots

  November 5, 2012 10:56 AM

  TRENTON, N.J. - Some New Jersey election watchdog groups are worried about the security of letting displaced New Jersey residents vote by email. Rutgers-Newark Law School Professor Penny Venetis says that when New Jersey residents living overseas vote by email, they also must send a paper ballot so that vote-counters... more »

• AP source: Romney considers Ohio visit on Tuesday

  November 5, 2012 10:34 AM

  SANFORD, Fla. - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is considering visiting Ohio on Election Day. GOP officials familiar with the plan say the Republican nominee may make a final visit Tuesday to the critical battleground state, where 18 electoral votes are up for grabs. Such a visit would... more »

• Candidates urge supporters to vote

  November 5, 2012 10:33 AM

  UNDATED - President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney agree on one thing: Both say the winner of tomorrow's election will be determined by which of their operations get the most supporters to the polls. In a radio interview airing this morning, Obama said "this is going to be a... more »

• Obama's strategy: Grind it out, get out the vote

  November 2, 2012 2:59 PM

  WASHINGTON - For President Barack Obama, winning re-election rests on a workman-like, get-out-the-vote strategy aimed at protecting key territory in the Midwest, ramping up minority turnout and building early voting leads that could protect against a late surge by Republican challenger Mitt Romney. It's a far cry from the lofty... more »

• Romney's path: Win indies, stoke base, no errors

  November 2, 2012 2:58 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney's plan for victory boils down to this: Convince independent voters he'll change Washington, stoke Republican enthusiasm and avoid unforced errors. The Republican nominee's path to reaching the necessary 270 electoral votes cuts straight through Rust Belt states. The Republican has to stop President Barack Obama from... more »

• Obama: New jobs growth part of 'real progress'; Romney calls it 'stagnation'

  November 2, 2012 12:22 PM

  HILLIARD, Ohio - President Barack Obama is hailing another month of job growth but declaring "we've got more work to do." Falling just four days before Tuesday's election, the government's latest employment snapshot shows U.S. employers added 171,000 jobs in October. It also shows hiring was stronger in August and... more »

• Obama blasts Romney ad on auto industry in Ohio

  November 2, 2012 10:22 AM

  HILLIARD, Ohio - President Barack Obama is accusing Republican rival Mitt Romney of running dishonest ads on the auto industry to scare voters in Ohio, saying: "This isn't a game. These are people's jobs." The Romney ads, which have been airing in Toledo, the home of a Jeep plant, suggest... more »

• Romney seizes on uptick in unemployment rate

  November 2, 2012 9:21 AM

  NORFOLK, Va. - Mitt Romney says the one-tenth-of-a-point increase in the unemployment rate to 7.9 percent is, quote, "a sad reminder that the economy is at a virtual standstill." The Republican presidential nominee says voters will decide Tuesday between what he calls stagnation and prosperity. He made the... more »

• Storm-wracked states prepare for election Tuesday

  November 1, 2012 4:27 PM

  NEW YORK - Election officials were ordering generators, moving voting locations and figuring out how to transport poll workers displaced from coastal areas as Tuesday's presidential election became the latest challenge for states whacked by Superstorm Sandy. The storm devastated communities up and down the East Coast. It had already... more »

• Campaigns hit 7 swing states today

  November 1, 2012 2:36 PM

  ROANOKE, Va. - It's the busiest day of the campaign for the two presidential candidates, their running mates and their wives, who are visiting seven of the swing states that will help determine Tuesday which man will occupy the White House for the next four years. Mitt Romney is continuing... more »

• Romney claims Obama doesn't understand business

  November 1, 2012 10:22 AM

  ROANOKE, Va. - Mitt Romney says President Barack Obama doesn't have a clue about how business works. The Republican presidential nominee also is taking aim at Obama for suggesting the creation of a secretary of business. Romney says "we don't need a secretary of business to understand business. We need... more »

• Obama making up for lost time after storm hiatus

  November 1, 2012 10:21 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama dives back into campaigning after three days immersed in managing the federal response to the storm that battered the East Coast. The contours of the presidential race remain much the same, with Obama and Republican Mitt Romney locked in a tight contest and both campaigns... more »

• Obama goes to FEMA before visit to storm-racked NJ

  October 31, 2012 12:34 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Obama is paying a visit to Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters ahead of his trip to New Jersey to see the damage done by superstorm Sandy. Obama took a motorcade to FEMA's offices to meet with agency chiefs before a planned flight to Atlantic City, N.J., to... more »

• Romney campaign challenges criticism by automakers

  October 31, 2012 12:31 PM

  TAMPA, Fla. - Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is challenging criticism from U.S. automakers over campaign ads that claim General Motors and Chrysler are adding jobs in China at the expense of Ohio. Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said Wednesday, quote: "Their comments don't refute anything in our ad." Romney ads on... more »

• Biden calls Romney auto ad an 'outrageous lie'

  October 31, 2012 12:29 PM

  SARASOTA, Fla. - Vice President Joe Biden is calling advertising released by Republican Mitt Romney "an outrageous lie" for asserting that automakers General Motors and Chrysler are adding jobs in China at the expense of workers in Ohio. Biden says in Florida that Romney is "trying to scare the living... more »

• Romney now is supportive of FEMA, despite earlier suggestion that it be scrapped

  October 31, 2012 12:24 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney is making it clear that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a role to play in dealing with events like Hurricane Sandy. In a statement released by his campaign today, he says FEMA "plays a key role in working with states and localities to prepare for... more »

• Campaigns invade other sides' turf

  October 31, 2012 10:37 AM

  MASON, Ohio - Some campaign workers in the battleground state of Ohio have a particularly challenging mission: find votes in opposition territory. President Barack Obama's campaign did well with that strategy in 2008, and won Ohio. The campaign has expanded such behind-the-lines efforts this year in places such as the... more »

• Romney moves to reframe debate on abortion, autos

  October 30, 2012 5:09 PM

  KETTERING, Ohio - Republican Mitt Romney seems determined to soften his emphasis on abortion and ignore facts critical to the auto industry as he seeks support from key voting groups in the waning days of a close presidential race. That's the message in ads, his own remarks and most... more »

• Obama cancels more events, Romney changes tone

  October 30, 2012 11:40 AM

  KETTERING, Ohio - For a third day tomorrow, President Barack Obama will be off the campaign trail. Instead of holding campaign events in Ohio, he'll be at the White House to monitor recovery efforts from the storm that practically shut down New York City and left more than 30 people... more »

• Sandy forces political pause with 7 days left

  October 30, 2012 10:39 AM

  WASHINGTON - The havoc unleashed by Superstorm Sandy is bringing an unnerving pause to the presidential campaigning as President Barack Obama and rival Mitt Romney adjust the breakneck pace of the contest's final days to the anxieties and emergency demands sweeping the Eastern Seaboard. Both men and their running mates... more »

• Obama says he's confident in storm preparations

  October 29, 2012 12:06 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he's confident that state and federal governments have done all they can to prepare for the superstorm barreling up the East Coast. He says the slow-moving storm will affect millions of people, and he is urging Americans to heed warnings. Obama was speaking from... more »

• Romney sketches campaign contingencies

  October 29, 2012 10:58 AM

  AVON LAKE, Ohio - Mitt Romney is sketching out political contingency plans that include temporarily suspending campaigning altogether if Hurricane Sandy turns deadly. The Republican presidential candidate plans to go ahead with three rallies in three states on Monday, including a midday event in Avon Lake, Ohio. But, given... more »

• Obama cancels Tuesday trip to Wisconsin

  October 29, 2012 10:37 AM

  ORLANDO, Fla. - President Barack Obama is cancelling more campaign events to monitor Hurricane Sandy back in Washington. The latest political event to get scrapped as the storm heads to the East Coast is the president's trip to Green Bay, Wis., Tuesday. The White House announced Obama was... more »

• Early voting popular ahead of Nov. 6

  October 29, 2012 10:19 AM

  GONZALES - Early voting is proving popular around the capitol area, with thousands turning out to vote ahead of Nov. 6. Ascension and Livingston parishes both reported long lines at their early voting locations. As of Saturday evening, both parishes saw more than 5,000 citizens vote early. Voting... more »

• Economy in focus as Romney faces new questions

  October 26, 2012 7:27 AM

  DEFIANCE, Ohio - Republican Mitt Romney is renewing his focus on the economy as Democrats question his silence on a Senate candidate's controversial abortion comments. Romney is also trying to ignore new questions about a prominent supporter's divorce case. The GOP presidential nominee is scheduled to deliver an economic... more »

• Boustany and Landry to meet in talk radio debate

  October 25, 2012 4:29 PM

  LAFAYETTE - The two Republican congressmen fighting each other for re-election to the 3rd District have scheduled their first debate in advance of the Nov. 6 election. The campaigns of U.S. Reps. Charles Boustany and Jeff Landry say the candidates will square off Wednesday - Halloween night - on a... more »

• Group of major CEOs urges tax hikes, spending cuts

  October 25, 2012 1:55 PM

  WASHINGTON - CEOs from more than 80 major U.S. companies are pressing Congress to reduce the federal deficit by raising taxes and cutting spending. With a sea of red ink confronting the nation, the deficit and how to tame it has become a looming theme in the presidential campaign. The... more »

• Obama vows to protect women's health care rights

  October 25, 2012 1:32 PM

  TAMPA, Fla. - A new Associated Press-GfK poll suggests Mitt Romney has erased President Barack Obama's advantage among women. Obama has been renewing his pitch to female voters today. In the midst of a marathon, cross-country campaign trip, he made a veiled reference to Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock's comment... more »

• Romney: Families face a choice

  October 25, 2012 1:30 PM

  CINCINNATI - Mitt Romney is talking today about choices facing American families -- telling a rally in Cincinnati that if President Barack Obama is re-elected, seniors on Medicare will struggle to find doctors, college students will face a huge loan burden, and parents will lose choices about where to educate... more »

• Powell standing by Obama in 2012 presidential race

  October 25, 2012 10:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a longtime Republican, is sticking with President Barack Obama in this year's election. He tells "CBS This Morning" he respects Mitt Romney but thinks he's been vague on many issues. Speaking of Obama, Powell said the president got the United States out... more »

• Jindal on the road in Iowa, Florida for GOP events

  October 24, 2012 5:05 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal is on the road again for Republican candidates and groups. Jindal's office said the Louisiana governor traveled to Iowa on Wednesday for a Mitt Romney presidential campaign event, followed by a speech to the Scott County Republican Party's Ronald Reagan Dinner. A day later,... more »

• Obama launches 2-day blitz; Romney ups pace, too

  October 24, 2012 7:38 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney are showing the urgency of the campaign's final stretch. Both men are claiming a growing advantage even as voters show little give. Obama has centered on a closing theme that voters simply cannot trust Romney, while the challenger warns... more »

• Early voting for Nov. 6 election begins today

  October 23, 2012 8:52 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Early voting is starting in Louisiana for the Nov. 6 election, which includes the presidential race, six congressional races, constitutional amendments, judgeships and local contests around the state. Voters seeking to cast their ballots in advance of Election Day can vote early starting today and running... more »

• Obama, Romney tour debate site

  October 22, 2012 5:07 PM

  BOCA RATON, Fla. - President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have toured the site of tonight's debate in the battleground state of Florida. The 90-minute faceoff at Lynn University in Boca Raton will focus on foreign policy. Moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS says the questions he'll put before the candidates... more »

• Obama wins by a landslide in kids' online election

  October 22, 2012 3:07 PM

  NEW YORK- It's a landslide for President Barack Obama - at least among people too young to vote. Nickelodeon's Linda Ellerbee said Monday that the president captured 65 percent of the vote to beat Republican Mitt Romney in the network's "Kids Pick the President" vote. More than 520,000 people... more »

• Early voting begins tomorrow

  October 22, 2012 11:05 AM

  BATON ROUGE -Early voting for the Nov. 6 election begins tomorrow and continues through Oct. 30. Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Tuesday, Nov. 6 election to vote early. "I anticipate high voter turnout for the Nov. 6 election," said... more »