NATIONAL

“A Republican National Committeeman delivered a call-to-arms aimed at Donald Trump during a closed-door GOP meeting on Thursday, urging his colleagues to take a forceful stand against those who he said were destroying the party’s brand.” – Politico

“While the full field of Republican presidential candidates resumed campaigning Friday, it was Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio who emerged from last night’s Fox Business debate the apparent main challengers to front-runner Donald Trump — though New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s feisty exchanges may have left some thinking what was once a 17-candidate scramble, now is a four-man showdown.” – Fox News

“The Clinton campaign is on the ropes. Not only is Hillary Clinton deeply unpopular with the Democrat base (MoveOn.org, the group founded to support Bill Clinton during his impeachment has overwhelmingly endorsed Hillary), she is immensely unlikable, unable to relate to other humans beyond treating them as hired help, and pending indictment… though the latter has never encumbered any Democrat when running for office.” – Red State

“Over the past two weeks, the GOP primary race has become a contest between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, the two frontrunners in both national polls and in the state Iowa.” – Reason.com

“Prominent conservative radio host Glenn Beck took Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul to task on his radio show Thursday for questioning Canadian-born Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s eligibility to be president.” – Buzzfeed.com

“Donald Trump has rented space at an Urbandale movie theater and will give Iowans free tickets to a showing of the Benghazi movie that critics of Hillary Clinton have been eagerly awaiting.” – USAToday.com

“RNC Chair Reince Priebus pushed back at Rush Limbaugh‘s accusation yesterday that the Republican Party is trying to push out all the conservatives.” – Mediate.com

“After watching Donald Trump maneuver on the presidential campaign trail during these past six enthralling months, I’ve come to the following conclusions: Trump definitely has an appeal to conservative evangelicals, and this seemingly bewildering relationship belongs on the next episode of the Dr. Phil show. How in the world did this happen?” – USAToday.com

“Lt. David Nartker is a 27-year-old Navy commander who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2011 where he studied aerospace engineering. He grew up in Naperville, Illinois, and was a standout student at private Catholic schools before heading to Annapolis.” – The Blaze

“In yet-another transparent effort to slow its death spiral, The New York Daily News released yet-another cover directing insults at a Republican. Friday morning’s cover features no less than Lady Liberty giving Senator Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) the finger with a caption that reads, ‘Drop Dead, Ted.’ The sub-headline says, ‘Hey, Cruz: You don’t like N.Y. values? Go back to Canada.'” – Breitbart

LOUISIANA

“Parishes, cities and other Louisiana government entities looking to remove Confederate monuments from public spaces could have to follow a specific process under legislation being considered by a key state lawmaker. The changes would likely affect only cases moving forward, not necessarily the pending removal of four statutes under dispute in New Orleans.” – NOLA.com

“Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards recently signed controversial Medicaid expansion legislation into law. President Obama visited Louisiana on Thursday in hopes that Medicaid’s success there will spur other conservative states to consider the plan.” – CSMonitor.com

“Gov. John Bel Edwards talked to experts Friday about how to improve traffic in Baton Rouge.” – WAFB.com

“A Destrehan high school teacher has been arrested and is accused with having sexual relations with a minor.” – Fox8Live.com

“New Orleans is gaining notoriety among America’s mid-sized cities as a place where renters must devote an increasing share of their income to housing expenses.” – NOLA.com

“LSU’s chapter of the Kappa Alpha fraternity will no longer use ‘Old South’ as the name for events, according to a Daily Reveille report.” – The Baton Rouge Advocate

“President Barack Obama on Thursday praised Louisiana’s new Democratic governor, John Bel Edwards, for his decision to expand the state’s Medicaid program to provide health care coverage to thousands of residents. ‘He’s already delivering for the people of Louisiana,’ Obama said.” – WWMT.com

“Republicans on Thursday criticized Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ decision to waive work requirements for thousands of food stamp recipients, saying the assistance program should only be a short-term safety net.” – The Baton Rouge Advocate 

“Agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries arrested a Metairie man on Monday for allegedly driving under the influence on Bayou Sauvage in Orleans Parish.” – Louisiana Sportsman