John Bel Edwards

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This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, at 2:40 p.m. EDT., and provided by NOAA, shows Hurricane Laura over the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Laura strengthened Wednesday into “an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane,&quot; The National Hurricane Center said.Laura is expected to strike Wednesday night into Thursday morning along the Louisiana-Texas border. (NOAA via AP)

The Latest: Reported tornado in Arkansas spins off Laura

By The Associated Press - Associated Press

Swarnamala Ratnayaka prepares RNA for testing for the new coronavirus at the molecular pathology lab at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Thursday, April 2, 2020. The test is identical to the PCR test being used by the Centers for Disease Control to ease the testing crisis and stop the spread of COVID-19, which has hit the New Orleans area especially hard. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Despite improvements, Edwards not lifting virus restrictions

By MELINDA DESLATTE and KEVIN McGILL - Associated Press

Street vendors wade a flooded street during the passing of Tropical Storm Laura in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Laura battered the Dominican Republic and Haiti and is heading for a possible hit on the Louisiana coast at or close to hurricane force as a hurricane, along with Tropical Storm Marco. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

‘In the bullseye:’ Gulf preps for Laura to slam as hurricane

By KEVIN McGILL and SETH BORENSTEIN - Associated Press

Edwards declares emergency ahead of tropical weather

Associated Press

FILE - In this July 20, 2018, file photo, interim Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, R-Baton Rouge, talks to reporters in Baton Rouge, La. On Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, Ardoin, Louisiana's elections chief, proposed a scaled-back emergency plan for this fall's elections that would modestly expand early voting amid the coronavirus outbreak, but still require most people to cast their ballots in person in the pandemic. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte, File)

Louisiana election chief warns of logistics issues this fall

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin speaks to the House and Governmental Affairs Committee about his proposed emergency plan for the fall Louisiana elections, on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)

GOP lawmakers, Edwards clashing over Louisiana election plan

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards holds up his own mask, taken off while he was speaking, to remind Louisiana residents that a highly effective thing within their power to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to simply wear a mask, Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at a press conference update on the state's COVID-19 situation at the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Baton Rouge, La. (Travis Spradling/The Advocate via AP, Pool)

Louisiana governor urges students amid virus: Be ‘vigilant’

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards makes a point while updating the status of the state in regard to COVID-19, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. The state will continue to be in Phase 2 until Aug. 28. (Bill Feig/The Advocate via AP)

Louisiana governor will block emergency virus elections plan

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

US judge hopes to rule soon on Louisiana bar closures

By KEVIN McGILL - Associated Press

Motorists take part in a caravan protest in front of Senator John Kennedy's office at the Hale Boggs Federal Building asking for the extension of the $600 in unemployment benefits to people out of work because of the coronavirus in New Orleans, La. Wednesday, July 22, 2020. The benefits are set to expire on July 25 and the caravan of about a dozen cars was organized by UNITE HERE Local 23, Step UP Louisiana. (Max Becherer/The Advocate via AP)

Edwards: Louisiana to tap into $300 federal unemployment aid

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards makes a point while answering questions about the status of the state in regard to COVID-19, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. The state will continue to be in Phase 2 until Aug. 28. Dr. Daniel Burch does sign language interpretation at right. (Bill Feig/The Advocate via AP)

Louisiana seeks funding for National Guard virus response

Associated Press

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards holds up his own mask, taken off while he was speaking, to remind Louisiana residents that a highly effective thing within their power to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to simply wear a mask, Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at a press conference update on the state's COVID-19 situation at the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Baton Rouge, La. (Travis Spradling/The Advocate via AP, Pool)

Judge sides with Louisiana governor, upholds virus rules

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

A sign hangs outside Bruno’s Tavern in New Orleans on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Bruno’s is one of many bars around the city that shut down under new restrictions the state announced over the weekend to fight the spread of coronavirus. Bars in New Orleans had been allowed to open, with limited capacity, a month earlier when the number of hospitalizations from the virus in Louisiana was in decline. (AP Photo/Kevin McGill)

Louisiana mask mandate, virus rules challenged in court

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards holds up his own mask, taken off while he was speaking, to remind Louisiana residents that a highly effective thing within their power to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to simply wear a mask, Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at a press conference update on the state's COVID-19 situation at the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Baton Rouge, La. (Travis Spradling/The Advocate via AP, Pool)

Edwards keeping Louisiana coronavirus restrictions in place

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

A sign hangs outside Bruno’s Tavern in New Orleans on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Bruno’s is one of many bars around the city that shut down under new restrictions the state announced over the weekend to fight the spread of coronavirus. Bars in New Orleans had been allowed to open, with limited capacity, a month earlier when the number of hospitalizations from the virus in Louisiana was in decline. (AP Photo/Kevin McGill)

Bar owners sue Louisiana governor over virus restrictions

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

A sign hangs outside Bruno’s Tavern in New Orleans on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Bruno’s is one of many bars around the city that shut down under new restrictions the state announced over the weekend to fight the spread of coronavirus. Bars in New Orleans had been allowed to open, with limited capacity, a month earlier when the number of hospitalizations from the virus in Louisiana was in decline. (AP Photo/Kevin McGill)

Louisiana suspends 4 bar permits, says violated virus rules

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

Education software firm moving headquarters to Louisiana

Associated Press

FILE -In this Monday, June 1, 2020, file photo, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, speaks about the legislative session in Baton Rouge, La. Schexnayder is trying to stall an ongoing effort by his fellow Republicans to revoke Gov. John Bel Edwards’ coronavirus pandemic state of emergency. Schexnayder says an override would be a “grave decision with potentially dire consequences.” (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte, File)

Analysis: Virus heightens GOP divisions in Louisiana House

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

Nurse Holli Martin with the LSU Cancer Center prepares the arm of JPSO Deputy Sean Lee as she gets ready to take a sample of blood at the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office administration building in Harvey, La., on Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Several JPSO deputies, including Lee, who have recovered from COVID-19 donated blood samples. (Chris Granger/The Advocate via AP)

Louisiana mask rule, virus restrictions extended to Aug. 7

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press

In this April 6, 2020 file photo, Attorney General Jeff Landry, right, speaks about medicines being donated by drug companies to help the fight against the coronavirus during a press conference in Baton Rouge, La. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards listens at left. Landry is quarantining himself after testing positive for the coronavirus. His spokesman said Tuesday, July 14 that the prominent Republican elected official has no symptoms of COVID-19 (Bill Feig/The Advocate via AP, Pool, File) **FILE**

Analysis: Mask mandate marks latest Edwards, Landry quarrel

By MELINDA DESLATTE - Associated Press