NEW ORLEANS – A simple gift from a bitter political rival — a medical mask emblazoned with Louisiana's state seal — has helped Democratic Gov.
John Bel Edwards pound home a bipartisan plea for people to stay at home and avoid spreading the new coronavirus. The token from Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry — and Landry's pledge to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Edwards in the fight against the pandemic — marked a jaw-dropping truce in a state known for cantankerous politics.
The rare show of unity comes in an era of deep, political divides nationwide that have persisted, and in some cases, worsened amid the virus pandemic, even as some call for leaving such disputes aside in favor of working together.