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Edwards rallies union support: 'Elections have consequences'

Gov. John Bel Edwards spoke Saturday to the Louisiana Federation of Teachers. He offered a defense of his record since taking office in 2016 and a pledge of educator pay raises.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Gov. John Bel Edwards rallied his core base of education union support with a preview of his 2019 re-election stump speech. He urged teachers and school workers to maintain a "sense of purpose" about the governor's race.

The Democratic leader spoke Saturday to the Louisiana Federation of Teachers. He offered a defense of his record since taking office in 2016 and a pledge of educator pay raises.

The receptive crowd was packed with Edwards supporters who helped his election bid three years earlier and promised to help him reach a second term.

The governor repeated his plan to seek a $1,000 teacher pay raise and $500 school support worker raise in next year's legislative session. He said he'll have a three-year plan to raise salaries to the Southern average.

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