WRKF News

Xavier university is looking to triple the number of their minority alumni who go on to receive PhDs in the life sciences in the next decade, with help from an NIH grant. The first obstacle is getting undergraduates to stick with those fields.

Louisiana has gone immediately from a primary campaign to a runoff campaign.

Sen. Mary Landrieu will again be at the top of the ticket Dec. 6 fighting for reelection. Congressman Bill Cassidy is continuing to battle to win her seat.

Jeremy Alford, publisher of LaPolitics.com, says with Republicans taking control of the Senate Tuesday, both candidates have new war cries. 

On election day, Louisiana voters said yes to protecting state funding for healthcare, and a firm no to measures that would expand the size and reach of state government.

Much as expected, Rep. Bill Cassidy and Sen. Mary Landrieu were the top finishers in a field of eight, and will be squaring off in a Dec. 6 runoff election.

“We have 32 more days. This is not over yet,” said a smiling, energized Cassidy to a campaign party crowd of several hundred supporters in Baton Rouge.

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s former coastal chief Garrett Graves was the top Republican finisher in the 6th Congressional District race on Tuesday. While he was celebrating at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Baton Rouge, State Sen. Dan Claitor, another Republican contender, was at a friend's house having gumbo. 

It'll be Governor Bobby Jindal's former coastal chief, Garrett Graves, who faces former governor Edwin Edwards in the runoff for Louisiana's 6th Congressional District seat. 

As the only prominent Democrat in the 6th district race, Edwin Edwards had always been expected to make the runoff.  

Should Louisiana hospitals be guaranteed a set amount of state health care funding—if they put up part of the money themselves? That’s what Constitutional Amendment 2 on Tuesday’s ballot is asking voters to decide.

Tuesday marks the first East Baton Rouge Parish school board election since a redistricting plan was passed this summer, shrinking the board from 11 members to 9.

Charles Lussier is a reporter for The Advocate and has been following the races for the six contested seats.

Voters all over the state are facing unusually lengthy ballots on Election Day. Between the Senate race, all the congressional races, judicial races, school board and other contests, there are more than 4,400 candidates for more than 2,400 offices statewide. No matter where you are in Louisiana, you can expect to see at least 20 items on your ballot. And once you’re in the voting booth, you won’t have much time to decide.

The LSU's Manship School of Mass Communication hosted a final debate Wednesday, Oct. 29, between the top three contenders in Louisiana's Senate race on Nov. 4.